An Unknown World Revised
by KayLudlow
Summary: What happens when Hermione and Ginny enter an unknown world? Will they want to return home? HGSB, JPLE, and some GWHP. This is the same story as An Unknown World, just rewritten under a different penname. Please read and review!
1. Chapter 1

**An Unknown World**

**Chapter One**

The summer before the Golden Trio's last year at Hogwarts was filled with excitement or so to speak. Harry had recently found a fifth horcrux. He'd realized it was a likely candidate after he heard the story, but the finding of Gryffindor's Rose was not one to come by easily.

June 20th was Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's anniversary and Mr. Weasley presented Molly with a red rose that he had wisped out of nowhere. Molly was infatuated with the simple yet outrageously beautiful flower, and kept mumbling something along the lines of 'just like old times.' Eventually the children had to ask what she was talking about. Molly had been too embarrassed and giddy to tell the story so Arthur sat at the kitchen table and told the story to the 'littl'uns.' He explained how in the late sixties the first war was just starting to get heated and they had planned on getting married around that time, of course this was without knowing the future circumstances. He said they had only told a few select people about the engagement, so eloping seemed like a plausible choice to him. It didn't matter that their parents would be furious… when had it ever mattered? He said he hadn't discussed it with Molly at all, and he needed a way to bring it up in a chivalric, yet nonchalant way – after all his Molly was not one for taking the easy way out. This would have to be as romantic as the huge wedding they had talked about. He had proposed at their graduation feast and later the two had taken a walk through the graduating gift to the generations to come – a rose garden. Little did anyone know what was actually hiding there. Arthur explained that Molly was ecstatic at the sight of the garden and couldn't stay by his side for more than a second as she had to smell every single flower in her presence. While he walked around, watching his fiancée, he told the kids that a certain flower caught his eye. It was magnificent. It looked as though it was made of glass, but when touched it underwent the feeling of pure velvet. He decided that he would save the precious blossom, and give it to his fiancée on their wedding day. Then when he thought about eloping, he decided it would be the perfect thing to give her to enhance the whole romance thing. It worked – as everyone could see Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were perfectly in love, and they had the children to prove it. Arthur told them that Molly was somewhat opposed to eloping at first until Mr. Weasley proposed to her a second time with the perfect rose. Then she melted – figuratively speaking of course, but she was putty in his hands. The two were excited beyond control, but it had to end sometime. They just didn't expect it would end before the actual wedding. The day before they had decided to leave, they received a surprising visit from their former headmaster, Dumbledore. It was a very strange visit, and it ended with the headmaster taking the rose from Molly's hands, leaving her in a bit of a state. The two still eloped; the event just happened to have lost a tiny bit of the magic it had started out with.

After Harry heard the story he realized that Dumbledore had to have taken the rose for a reason, and that possibly it was to destroy the item. But then he realized that Dumbledore had never talked of a rose. It was a long shot, but it was completely possible.

After researching magical roses for over a week, Harry finally found an article about the Gryffindor Rose. It had disappeared. Why it was found in the class gift was beyond Harry or anyone in the Weasley family. But then the question of why Dumbledore didn't destroy it immediately arose. Harry had to find a way to get a hold of the rose, and he believed that it would be somewhere inside the school, most likely in the headmaster's office. It then appeared to him that he was allowed on campus. He was a seventh year, and seventh years were allowed an extended time in the school during the summer to do research for their upcoming N.E.W.T exams. It was perfect. Hermione had been badgering him about the exams for the past year and now was his chance. She wanted to take the boys into school and do research for about a week. That gave him enough time to look about the school and possibly Dumbledore's office – all he needed was a way to get inside.

The week after Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's anniversary Harry, Hermione, and Ron apparated to the gates of Hogwarts and traveled to the big oak doors. They were locked. It was not to their surprise as these times had given people the fear to take extra precaution. They knocked and heard the massive echo from inside. Eventually Headmistress McGonagall opened the doors and greeted the three students whom she had grown to love over the years. Hermione insisted they begin studying straight away, but eventually Harry needed a break. He told his two friends that he would be back after getting some food. The truth was he would be taking a trip to the Headmaster's old office. When he finally guessed the right password, he knocked on the office door. McGonagall was inside to his misfortune. When he entered it was exactly the same as Dumbledore had left it, at least since the last time Harry was in his office. He walked in and looked about, only to find a portrait with the name of his late Headmaster on the frame. It was empty and when McGonagall found him staring at it, she said "don't worry he'll be back later." Harry was astounded by the thought of talking to a dead man, but didn't question the fact that it could possibly help him.

She asked him if there was anything she could assist him with, but when he stuttered about looking about the office for the rose, she turned him down almost instantly. The two fought and argued over how it could help the light side win the war, but McGonagall's consistent reply of it being "completely out of order, and highly unethical," was a hard one to beat. It wasn't until they were told to quiet down, that they actually stopped their bickering. McGonagall was a bit annoyed with their intruder, but Harry couldn't believe his ears. He turned around and found Albus Dumbledore sitting in his portrait. Harry stood dead still and gaped at the "man" sitting in front of him.

"It's okay Harry." Harry didn't know what to say. He'd been around talking portraits for the past seven years; he just never imagined he'd be talking to Dumbledore through one. "Come here. Tell me, what seems to be the problem?"

"The boy wants to look around your office for a rose."

Dumbledore's face lit up. "A rose?"

"I told him it was out of the question. Students just can't go prancing about the office as they please. Am I right? Albus? Why do you have that face on?"

"Face? What face?" The previous headmaster asked with his sly smile.

"The face that says 'Minerva you're wrong.'"

"Well I'm sorry if it comes off to you like that. It's just this rose subject has gotten me in a bind. By all means it is inappropriate for a student to search my, or should I say your office, but this seems to be of _special_ circumstances."

"Headmaster, you can't be serious." She couldn't believe he would disagree with her on this matter, but when he didn't reply, she knew he was right. She had the authority to still say no, but she knew that if Dumbledore thought it was right, she should probably allow it. "Fine Potter, but I'm not leaving."

"That's perfectly acceptable Headmistress."

"Oh well I'm glad it's perfectly acceptable. I would have loved to hear you say to me to get out of my own office." She kept mumbling to herself as she returned to her desk.

"Harry?" It was Dumbledore. Harry turned back to look at the portrait. "How do you know about the rose?"

"Mr. and Mrs. Weasley told me about a special rose they found, that you took from them. I put two and two together, did some research, and realized it was perfectly credible. I didn't actually think I would get to talk to you about it though. This is all a bit… surreal."

"I understand your viewpoint. I stood in your shoes when I first talked to the portrait of Headmaster Dippet. But Harry you have to understand. The rose is no longer here. It was stolen, about a year after I took it from the Weasleys. I don't know who stole it; though I'm sure you and I can make a very strong prediction. He would've hid it in a personal place. This was the rose Godric Gryffindor was going to present to his beloved. She just so happened to be the same woman Salazar Slytherin loved. It was an odd love triangle at that, as I'm sure she shared most of the same views with Godric and not Salazar, but I'm told she was a pure beauty. Salazar was one to fall for physical attributes, as I'm told. It ended up with Salazar asking the woman to marry him. She showed him the rose Godric had given her, and rejected him. She was already marrying Godric. So Salazar took the Slytherin way out and—"

"Albus!"

"Yes, Minerva? You must remember, I am not Headmaster anymore… I'm allowed to say whatever I please. Where was I, oh yes, he took the Slytherin way out and killed her." Harry tried to hide his amusement, but the idea of his old headmaster cracking Slytherin jokes was just too much to handle. Dumbledore, however, caught his eye and flashed a quick smirk his way. "So, then he took the rose for himself and vanished. I've heard rumors of Tom Riddle's feelings for a certain girl in his sixth year. I'm not sure whom it was, but if the rumor proves true, it is certain that she rejected him. The rumor states that she refused a gift from his heart, and soon after they graduated, the two mysteriously disappeared. Students who knew him say that he killed her. They say that after she rejected him, he took the gift he offered her, or I'm assuming the rose, to his name's final destination. That's all they would tell me. I've never been able to figure out how he got the rose, but I _have _thought about his name, and it is also his father's name."

"Do you think he took the rose to the house in Little Hangleton."

"Is it logical?"

"Of course! He hated his parents, and he needed a good enough reason to kill them. So he used his anger from this rejection as a motive. He used the killing of the girl to make the rose into a horcrux, and the killing of his parents to turn the ring into one. The rose is somewhat of a stretch, but it's something!" Harry was about to run out of the office in a rush of excitement, but he ran straight into McGonagall.

"And just where do you think you're off to in such a rush?"

"Little Hangleton. I have to find that rose."

"Not so fast Mr. Potter. It's not safe. We'll send a team of aurors to find the flower."

"No! I promised Dumbledore I would help him. I'm the one who has to destroy Voldemort, it's written in the prophecy, so please… let me go."

"He's right Minerva. You have to let him go. Harry maybe you could ask Remus to accompany you."

Harry didn't like the idea of putting another of his father's friends in danger, especially Remus in his state, but he figured there was no point in further angering Minerva McGonagall. She'd only run to Molly Weasley and then his mission would be completely shot to hell. "I suppose there's safety in numbers."

"Not now there isn't." Minerva mumbled, and she let Harry pass.

Harry returned to the library after that and when Hermione and Ron asked why he had taken so long, he told them he had taken a trip to see McGonagall about the rose. He told them he had spoken with Dumbledore, which amazed them just as much as it had him, but when they asked what he had found out, he wouldn't tell them. He wanted to tell them, but the knowledge of this was so secret and powerful, that it could be a cause of death in and of itself.

Harry told his best friends that after this week he would be taking a trip with Remus, to find the rose. They asked if they could come, but he solidly refused.

The week Harry was gone, was Hermione and Ron's 'give-it-a-go' week. They decided they could see what it was like in each other's presence, and sort of test the waters. Well that didn't go very well at all. Ginny had to pry them from each other's grasp at least two times. In essence she feared for both of their lives, and couldn't wait until Harry came home. Merlin knew it would help everything run smoothly again.

Two weeks later Harry and Remus returned to the Burrow. They were empty handed, but did not carry disappointment.

Everyone crowded them with questions, all of which they wouldn't answer. The only two they did answer were whether or not they found it and destroyed it. They told them they found it, but could not for the life of them find a way to destroy it. They tried ripping the petals off, but they just revitalized themselves. It was obviously an easy way to look at it, but whichever way they looked at it they couldn't destroy the flower. They decided the best way to leave it would be to leave the flower in its place, so Voldemort wouldn't suspect anything. Of course they got hell from that decision, but in the end it was what they decided and that would be how it would stay. They couldn't have people knowing all this, it was times like these that nobody knew who to trust. At least they knew where it was.

After Harry's return things did run more smoothly. Hermione and Ron told him what they did, and to Harry's disgust he was 'happy' to be of service again.

Later that month Hermione and Ginny got to talking.

"When are you and Harry going to get back together?"

"Excuse me? That was a bit out of the blue don't you think!"

"Well it _is_ a legitimate question Gin."

"Well I don't know. Are we expected to get back together? Who have you been talking to? Ron? Harry? Is Harry talking about getting back together with me?"

"Slow down, Gin. Nobody is talking. I was just asking to see if you were interested. Not to mention if you walk into the same room as the boy, he automatically finds a reason to leave. He's obviously still hooked. Call me crazy. I think you still like him too."

"That's none of your business Hermione Granger!" Ginny said with a slight blush, leaving the room.

Later that night Harry and Ginny got back together. It was awkward to say the least – at least on Harry's part. It was probably midnight and Ginny had snuck out of her and Hermione's room. At first she didn't know where she was going to go. All she did know was she couldn't sleep, and Hermione's snoring wasn't helping.

She decided to just sit on the top of the stairwell and plan her next move. In the end it was between going back to bed, and waking Harry up and having a 'severe' talk. Harry won. She tiptoed up to the next floor and quietly walked into the boy's attic-room. Ron was mumbling something incoherent, and Harry was hanging off the side of his bed, inches away from actually falling off. Ginny silently approached Harry and shook him awake, which actually resulted in him sliding off the bed and onto the cold floor. He eventually found the energy to sit up and rub the sleep from his eyes. When he saw Ginny standing in front of him in naught but shorts and a skimpy shirt, he nearly screamed; however, Ginny caught his eye quickly. She looked him square in the eye, and whispered, "Follow me."

He nodded, slowly and quietly stood up and followed her out of the room. They went down to the kitchen and when she was sure nobody could hear them, she ordered him to sit down.

Without question he did. "Ginny is there something wrong? Are you alright?" He asked anxiously.

"Oh I'm fine. We just need to talk."

"Alright…" He was so nervous. He was, after all, alone in a dark room with his ex-girlfriend, whom he still had extreme feelings for.

"Why did you breakup with me? And don't give me any of this 'I wanted to protect you' shit. I need to know. Was there something wrong with me? Did I do something wrong? Did you just not like me? I need to know Harry. I don't care if the truth hurts, just lay it on me."

"Ginny. I can't answer that."

"Why the bloody hell not?" She couldn't yell, but by the tone of her whisper, Harry could tell she didn't like his answer.

"Because I honestly don't have an answer! I broke up with you for the exact reason that you don't want to hear. I wanted to protect you." He looked down at his hands. He was so anxious the sweat was practically raining off his forehead. When she didn't say anything he looked up at her. She had a face on that said, she was a tiny bit confused. "Ginny. I didn't stop liking you. If I had stopped liking you, I would have found a better reason to break up with you. I still like you. Why do you think it's so hard for me to be in the same room as you?"

"I don't know! Maybe I smell. It wouldn't be the first time somebody would've told me that." Ginny said, rolling her eyes and crossing her arms.

"I'm not Ron, or Fred_ or _George." He said with a smirk.

Ginny laughed. "Why can't we get back together then?" She asked on a more serious note.

"Ginny, we can't. It's not safe." He was warming up to the situation now, but the tension inside him was this close to bursting free.

"Harry Potter, if you give me one more excuse dealing with safety, **you** won't be safe anymore. I'm a big girl now. I've fought in battles before Harry. I know about safety. If you're worried that Voldemort's not going to like me because you're my boyfriend, then too late. I've already tested those waters, I'm pretty sure I'm shot whether or not we get back together." She was practically ranting now; rambling on about everything, and Harry had to just sit there and listen.

"Ginny! Ginny!" Harry whispered harshly, trying to get her attention. "Ginny shut up!"

"What?"

"Shut up!" He laughed. "You'll wake the whole house."

"I don't care, this is a point that needs to be made." She said with a pout.

"I tell you what. If we get back together, will you shut up?"

"No I will not – what?"

Harry stood up and looked her in the eye. He could feel the sweat droplets roll down his cheeks, and only hoped to Merlin she wouldn't notice it. "Ginny. I made a mistake of breaking up with you at the end of the year. I get it. But I'm willing to give it another go."

"Harry, I'm not a new spell. You can't just give me a go whenever you want. I'm in this for the long haul or not at all."

"Well then… I guess we're on."

"Really?" She asked with a genuine smile.

"Really. Now can I go back to bed?"

"Fine." She walked past him, and started up the steps. When they reached the landing where her door stood he kissed her cheek, said goodnight, and walked up to his room.

The days after that proved to be completely predictable; the usual hysteria from Mrs. Weasley and Hermione, and the expected taunting from the boys, except Ron who sat Harry down and gave him a talk of how he wasn't to hurt Ginny again. It was actually quite scary on Harry's part, and it took a threat from Ginny to get him to back off. Mr. Weasley was already at work when everyone woke up that morning after, but when he arrived home, he gave the kids a nice congratulations. Ironically, he was the _one_ person Ginny could rely on being normal.

The rest of the summer had Harry constantly thinking about the remaining two horcruxes, and how he was going to destroy the rose. His dreams consisted of Ginny's corpse lying at his feet, and he couldn't do anything about it, and then there was this constant feeling that somehow she and Hermione would be kidnapped – taken from Ron and him.

Hermione was constantly on Harry and Ron's case about studying, and when she wasn't squabbling on about the N.E.W.T.s she was actually revising _her_ notes from all of her previous years. The girl was a complete nut in everyone's eyes, but they new that without her, they would all fail miserably. If she wasn't studying or pressuring others to study, she was worrying over the Head Girl position. She claimed she didn't care, but everyone knew she did, but then again everyone knew she would get the spot. Who else had better grades than Hermione Granger? They just worried over who would get the boys spot.

Ron was having trouble with his self-confidence. He had been dumped by Lavender at the end of the school year, and he and Hermione had been far from working out. He was beginning to doubt himself. It wasn't until they attended Bill and Fleur's wedding that he was actually thankful for being single. How Bill would survive was beyond him. He was sick of thinking of his siblings with people he knew. First Fleur, a girl whom he had liked himself, and now Ginny was dating Harry, his best friend. It was all just absolutely preposterous to him.

They received their letters three days before school started and immediately took a trip to Diagon Alley, where they bumped into Neville. He was the same old Neville—nerve wreaked as if the world would end tomorrow, and the upcoming war was not helping his anxiety. The school list was not much different from past years, just a few augmentations. Of course there was a letter explaining Professor McGonagall's promotion to Headmistress considering the events that occurred at the end of the last year, and Hermione received her letter declaring her Head Girl. It didn't explain who Head Boy would be, and she was told not to release the information to anyone as it would ruin the tradition of revealing the news at the opening feast. She hoped it was someone worthy. Harry and Ron were possible, but she really did have no clue as to who she would be sharing her duties with. It was all a big mystery, and not telling anyone was just as hard as not knowing.

Later that day after arriving back at the Burrow, Mrs. Weasley instructed everyone to start packing. There would be no last minute packing this year. She wanted as much time with Harry, Ron and Hermione as possible. This was their last year, and seeming as she didn't get to coddle the twins, she felt she deserved twice as much time this time around. The Golden Trio just accepted it and packed their things like she said.

September 1st arrived, and everyone was sitting at the kitchen table. They were all exhausted. The night before had been a night of secret drinking, and playing quidditch at midnight. The sound of Mrs. Weasley's screech at seven in the morning was not a pleasant one. The housewitch had made a massive breakfast including eggs, bacon, pancakes, waffles, fruits, toast, teas, coffees, etc; she didn't want anyone missing out on _her babies _last big day. It was a commemoration to be celebrated the Molly Weasley way.

After breakfast the boys lugged everyone's chest down the steps, because in the Weasley's house, Molly believed that magic was not the answer to everything. Then they were off. They reached the station with about ten minutes to spare, and the goodbyes to Mrs. Weasley took up a good five of that ten. Finally they had their trunks packed onto the train and they were sitting in their compartment with about thirty seconds to spare. Finally they were back on track.

The train ride consisted of the usual; Ron and Hermione bickering; Harry and Ginny secretly leaving to go make out in the lavatory, and the usual harassment from the Slytherins. Of course this year it was much easier to get rid of them, as Malfoy, the leader of the pack, was standing quietly in the back afraid to face anyone.

So the year seemed to be proving itself off to a good start. Everyone was more or less happy, and the _ferret _problem seemed to have finally disappeared. Maybe they could get something done in accord to the upcoming war.

The train finally came to a stand still and cheers were heard throughout the train. Finally they were home. Ron, Hermione, Harry, and Ginny all grabbed their cloaks and headed out to meet Fred and George who were meeting them in Hogsmeade to make sure everything was going okay. Mrs. Weasley had made sure that this trip would go smoothly – she had no time for deatheaters.

They stepped onto the platform and saw Hagrid ushering first years towards the boats already. They waved to the half-giant and began searching for the twins. When they finally caught up with the two red heads talking to younger students about their new shop in Hogsmeade, Ginny realized she had forgotten her bag.

"Guys I'll be right back."

"I'll go with you." Harry offered over protectively.

"Harry, that's sweet of you, but I'll be fine."

"Ginny you can't go off by yourself. It'll be getting dark soon." Harry was insistent.

"Harry! I can take care of myself. I'm not a little girl anymore. Stop acting like Ron, please!"

"Ooh mate she's got you there." Fred said jokingly.

"You're supposed to be on my side here!" Harry argued.

"Oh right. Ginny at least take Hermione with you."

"Fine. Come on Hermione." The two girls re-entered the train and heard the boys begin to talk about them almost instantly. "Sorry about this Hermione. I'm such a fuzz. I'm always leaving my stuff around."

Hermione laughed at her choice of words, "Don't worry Ginny. It's not a problem. Let's just find your bag."

They reached the compartment where they had been sitting, and Ginny saw her bag sitting on the bench where she had left it. "Gotcha- ahhh!" Almost instantly, as if the word had acted as a spell, Ginny and Hermione went flying into the seats. The train was moving. "What in the name of – what's going on?"

"Don't worry Gin. I'm sure the driver just didn't realize we were still on the train. Come on we'll go and ask him if he can take us back."

The two rushed up to the drivers compartment, and were a little more than shocked to find nobody sitting in the captain's seat. The levers were pulling themselves, and they felt themselves starting to move faster and faster. They glanced at each other quickly and ran to the back of the train. They looked out the window and were about to roll it down to scream back to the station for help when they realized nobody was standing on the platform.

"But it was packed only seconds ago! Hermione… I'm beginning to worry."

"Gin don't! We'll just apparate to the school gates. Come on, hold my hand." Ginny took Hermione's hand and with a _pop_ the two were traveling through a nothingness. They expected to land in a second or less, but after about ten Hermione was having a more and more hard time picturing the gates to the school, and felt as though she was going to pass out. Eventually they landed, not pleasantly, but it was a landing nonetheless, and soon enough Hermione _did _pass out, not knowing exactly where Ginny was at all.

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, but the plot.**

**Right, as you may or may not know… I'm the same Dominique as before (hpobessor), I just have a mentally incapable brain at times and I've forgotten the e-mail address that I used over the previous years. I've also received a new laptop so I have none of the old material saved… blah blah blah… I'm now Dominique (KayLudlow) soooo… I'll be updating this story again… hopefully… you all seemed to like it… I'll try and revise some more… reviews are much appreciated. **

**Dominique (KayLudlow)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Her mind was on the blitz. She was hearing voices, she could see glimpses of people watching her, she just couldn't stay in focus. Remembering her apparition experience with Ginny, Hermione had trouble believing she was okay; however, knowing that she wasn't okay wouldn't help her situation. Assuming she was in the hospital wing, and the blurred blobs surrounding her were her friends, she couldn't understand why no one had noticed her struggling to wake. If she knew Harry and Ron, which she was under the solid impression that she did, they would be pressuring Madam Pomfrey to administer every test in the book, but the people she was trying to make out – if they were in fact people – were doing nothing but watching her.

'_Shouldn't they at least__** try**__ and wake me up?' _She knew they were probably doing all they could, she just wasn't in a comfortable position—the lack of free will wasn't faring well with her.

Eventually after many attempts to open her eyes, move her body, even scream, she heard a voice of a woman she vaguely recognized. It was a stretch, but the tone of the woman was somewhat familiar to that of Madam Pomfrey's.

"Miss? Miss, can you hear me?"

'_Yes.' _By now Hermione had lost all reason to panic.

"Miss, can you hear me? Can you open your eyes?"

'_Now would we be in this dilemma if I could? __**Honestly**__, who are you?' _She was now just plain annoyed. It wasn't until she heard another familiar voice that she calmed down – well calming down wasn't the exact term she would use, but her temper did cool down, her utter confusion on the other hand was no where near diminishing.

"Who's the bird?"

It was so frustrating. _'What do you mean, who's the bird? I go to school here! Who __**doesn't**__know me?'_ Then it hit her. That voice – she knew it, but once again it wasn't the same.

_She watched as his body disappeared through the transparent material. Harry stood close by and watched in anger and disbelief. He was gone._

Slowly her eyes fluttered. Open. Closed. Open. Closed. When her mind went blank, when the past vision had finished, her eyes shot open and she couldn't help but yell the name that occupied her thoughts. "Sirius!"

The room was full of people who she'd never seen before, and they were all arguing. But then it stopped. A boy with dark, shaggy hair walked closer to the head of the bed. He looked her in the eye, and said, "Yes?"

The room was silent, and all eyes were on Hermione and the boy. Thirty seconds or so had passed and a woman clad in white robes rushed to the side of the bed. She was probably in her mid-forties, but then again looks meant nothing in the wizarding world. Not only did she sound like Madam Pomfrey, she bore an extremely strange resemblance to her as well. But Hermione couldn't recall the school getting a new nurse. It wasn't in the letter, but there was always the chance that she'd looked over something, though it was doubtful as she'd read it over about ten times. There was, on the off chance, a possibility that this woman could be Madam Pomfrey's niece.

The woman was making such a fuss, Hermione barely had time to worry about the fact that a seventeen year old boy had just responded to her calling out the name of Sirius Black – the name of a dead man.

"How are you feeling Miss?"

"Fine." Hermione tried to sit up, but fell back due to dizziness.

"Slow down Miss. You've been unconscious for three days. You're in no condition yet." The woman reminded her so much of the older medi-witch, they even shared persistence characteristics. "Can you tell me your name Miss?" She asked with slight concern as she ushered the group of protesting students out of the room.

"Hermione Granger, but aren't I in the files? I go to school here. I'm the Head Girl."

"Lily Evans is our Head Girl. You've probably got a case of amnesia. You've probably already graduated and don't remember. Don't worry it's to be expected. Just a side effect from a potion I've given you."

"No! You don't understand! I'm Hermione Granger! I'm Head Girl, not Lily Ev- wait- who did you say was Head Girl?"

"Lily Evans."

"What?" As if she hadn't heard.

"Lily Evans is our Head Girl, and James Potter is our Head Boy. Do you recognize those names?"

Hermione didn't answer. _'James and Lily Potter – Head Boy and Girl? Am I dreaming? I have to be nuts, I just have to be. Lily and James can't possibly be Head Boy and Girl – they're dead.'_

'_Then who was that boy answering to the name Sirius?' Her conscience asked._

"Miss? Is everything okay?"

Hermione shook herself out of the trance, and looked at the woman with eyes full of fear and anger.

"Miss?"

"No. I'm not okay! I do not have amnesia! My name is Hermione Granger, I go to school here and _I am_ Head Girl! Now where is Headmaster Dumbledore?"

The woman stared at Hermione as though her face had just turned a cerulean blue, until Hermione gave her a glare that would give McGonagall a run for her money.

Within minutes Dumbledore came strolling towards her cot with the woman behind him. Not that it was surprising at this point, but he did look at least twenty years younger.

"Ms. Granger I presume?"

"Yes. I really need to talk to you Headmaster. Is it possible to…" She glanced at the lady with an expecting look.

"Of course Miss. I'll be in my office Albus." With great composure the lady carried herself out of the room through a side door.

After seating himself on the bed next to hers, the Headmaster asked how she was feeling.

"I'm fine. Headmaster? Do you know who I am?"

"You're Hermione Granger."

"Yes, but would you have known that if that medi-witch hadn't told you?"

"Madam Pomfrey? Oh she didn't tell me."

"Wh- but then who?"

"A girl, who claims to be your best friend."

Hermione gasped. "Ginny!"

"So she is your acquaintance then? Well I'm glad. That means we have figured out the problem here." The man had a huge smile on his face, a smile that Hermione wasn't returning.

"Headmaster? Have I gone back in time?"

"Well yes, but not just you, you're friend Ms. Weasley as well." His jovial composition was enough to throw Hermione over the edge.

"WELL? CAN YOU FIX THIS?"

"Ms. Granger please calm down; this has never happened before. I am under the impression that you experienced a strange trip through apparition, and that you were on a running Hogwarts Express with no driver. The only way this actually makes sense to me is that someone wanted you two to come back in time. As to how to get you back, do not worry. I've got the staff working on it now. Just give it some time."

"Time? Time? This is supposed to be my seventh year! I have to take my N.E.W.T.s! What do you expect me to do?" She asked fretfully.

"Well Ms. Granger, I expect you to do just that. I, along with Ms. Weasley and yourself , have to expect the worst in this situation, and until the better situation comes out of hiding I don't see why the two of you can't go about life normally."

"Normally? Maybe because I've gone back in time, what? Twenty, twenty-one years? I don't think you understand. Lily and James Potter are my best friend's dead parents."

"Wow. Lily Evans and James Potter? Married? Well I can't say I didn't see that one coming."

"Headmaster! You're missing the point. In a matter of four years they'll be dead, and Harry will be an orphan! How am I supposed to sit around and play with his parents, when he's never met them?"

"Ms. Granger, please calm down. Now I assume Harry is their son?"

"Yes. But he's also the only person to survive the killing curse. He's the boy who lived, and in just a few short years you will hear a prophecy from Sybill Trelawney. It's a prophecy all about Harry. He's going to defeat Voldemort!" Hermione was now on the verge of tears.

"I see. Ms. Granger, how does Harry survive?"

"I'm not one hundred percent sure, but it's been said that the night Voldemort came to the Potter's house, he killed James instantly, and sought out Harry next. The only problem was when Lily got in the way. She was then killed only through the protection of Harry. It's not been proved, but if they would've handed him, Harry, over, their lives may have been spared."

"It is not uncommon for parents to fight for their offspring's safety Ms. Granger."

"It's just not fair." She said, looking away slightly.

"Nothing ever is. But I'm sure Harry would much rather have his two friends experience the company of his parents than no one at all." Dumbledore said with a sad-_ish_ smile.

"You're probably right." She looked down at her hands clasped on the hospital wing's blankets. A tear rolled down her cheek and landed on her folded hands. "I'll just have to make the best of it."

"Very well. I have already talked to Ms. Weasley, and due to the fact that neither of you have any family here – " this hit Hermione with a slight bit of shock. How would her mum and dad react? "I have allowed Ms. Weasley to skip her sixth year. That way when you two graduate you can stick together. That is if you are still here. We'll figure that out when the time comes. She had to prove her worthiness of the promotion, of course, but she excelled with flying colors. She told me she had you to thank for that." Hermione blushed and smiled. "Now, as for your houses, I don't see why you can't stay in Gryffindor. I'm sorry I can't let you be Head Girl, though I'm sure you have much further topics on your minds, but I'm looking for a replacement prefect as Loretta Johnson has transferred out of Hogwarts for her seventh year. Presuming I gave you the Head Girl spot twenty years down the line I have no trouble giving you this position. You may talk to Remus Lupin for instruction. Do you know Mr. Lupin?"

"Yes. He was a former professor of mine, and now – well now he's just a good friend."

"…Ah, the future does have its quirks I see."

"It's not all it's cracked up to be I'm afraid."

"When is it ever? I do have one more point to discuss, however. Now I understand your position, but these are not the best of times Ms. Granger. I urge you to value the secrets you and Ms. Weasley hold. It is, of course, your information to tell, but I advise you to use extreme caution." He said warningly.

"I will Headmaster."

"Then I will leave you to rest."

"Thank you – oh and is it possible to see Ginny?"

"Of course. I will send her in. She's been asking about you for quite a while you know?"

In the time it took Ginny to arrive Hermione had fallen asleep.

"Hermione?" Ginny then realized her soft whispering was completely unnecessary. Deciding that it would be okay to give her friend a little tap on the shoulder, she tried again. "Hermione?"

Hermione's eyes shot open and she found the youngest of the Weasley clan hovering over the bed. Hastily pushing herself off the mattress, she immediately fell back. "Oh my head."

"Slow down Hermione. You just woke up. How are you doing otherwise?"

"Oh Gin, I had the worst dream! I dreamt that you and I went back in time to 1976, and Harry's mum and dad were alive _and _Head Boy and Girl. Oh and Sirius was alive! Dumbledore said that time travel had never happened in his time and they had no idea how to get us back, and we probably would have never seen Harry or Ron again, and not to mention our mums and dads - oh I'm just glad it was a dream." Ginny looked at her best friend without any emotion. She had no idea how to break the news to her. "Ginny isn't that silly?" Ginny looked down at her hands. "Gin?" Hermione jokingly laughed. "Ginny what's wrong?"

"Um… Hermione, I don't know how to tell you this other than to just tell you the truth. That wasn't a dream."

"What?" Ginny didn't feel the need to repeat her sentence, she knew it would only make it worse. "So we're stuck here?" Ginny nodded. "Great. What about Harry and Ron? What about our parents? Will we ever see them again?"

"I'm not sure. Listen, Hermione. This can be a horrible experience if we let it be, but we have to accept it. If we ever get back home, Harry is going to want to know what his parents were like. Who knows maybe we can save them!"

"But we can't change history Ginny. You know that. It's not allowed."

"How will anyone ever know? If we save his parents now, then Harry will grow up with them all his life. Think of how great that would be!"

"So, what – we save his parents, then go home and _bam_ Harry's parents come out of nowhere and nobody suspects anything due to the fact that, oh I don't know, they've been missing for the past sixteen years? Ginny it's so far-fetched!"

"Well that's not the point at the moment. The point is, if we have this chance, we should savor it. For Harry's sake."

"You're just saying that because he's your boyfriend again."

"And did I mention that he's _your _best friend?"

"Minor detail." Hermione smiled.

"That's it. Smile. That's the way it should be. Come on Hermione. This can be a blast. We get to go to school with the Marauders, and actually torment Snape. Think of it. All those years of anguish with him and now we get our _oh_ so sweet revenge."

Hermione giggled at the thought of actually repaying her _darling_ potions master for all those years of misery. She knew it was out of the question, but nobody said _thinking_ was illegal.

"I guess you're right. Heck I already had this conversation – I think- with Dumbledore. I have to look on the bright side. If we ever get out of this, we'll have tons to tell Harry. Not to mention how it would look if we were the only two people to ever succeed in time travel."

"Now there's the Hermione Granger I know. Always looking for a way to gain experience and knowledgeable admiration."

"Alright. I should probably get some rest. _Madam Pomfrey_ said I should be allowed to get out of here tomorrow if I'm up to it."

"Well then… I will see you tomorrow."

The two friends exchanged a warm-felt hug, and Ginny walked out of the room leaving Hermione to fall into another exhausting sleep.

_**Dear Mum and Dad, **_

_**We got our letters today. I'm Head Girl; no biggie I suppose. I'm just worried as to who the Head Boy will be. I hope it's one of the boys. I don't know if I could deal with an incompetent stranger. Not to mention I've not kept up with my records so I have no idea who has what marks. If only I had been stricter with myself I could probably figure it out for myself. Whoever said "progress is made by lazy men looking for easier ways to do things**_**"**_** needs their head examined. Oh well I'll just have to find out tomorrow like everyone else. We're probably going to head into Diagon Alley soon to get a few bits and pieces. Oh! Did I tell you I learned to fly? Well learned is an overstatement, but I did it nonetheless. I'll have to take you guys one time – if I can muster the courage to sit on a broom again. I think this year will be a good one. The war will be ending soon – hopefully. It'll be tough, but it has to end sometime or other, and we can't have you-know-who traipsing around like a blue-assed fly now can we? Fingers crossed, and don't worry I will be absolutely fine. I love you both to bits. Talk soon! **_

_**Hermione xoxo**_

"_Hermione!" Harry yelled from the bottom of the stairs. "Hermione! Come on we're leaving!"_

"_Coming!" She attempted to stuff the letter in an envelope, but deciding she could send it when she got back she left it on the desk._

_Later that night when the group returned from a day of shopping, Hermione had forgotten about the letter. They were going to celebrate, and who had time for letters at a time like that?_

_The next morning was a busy one. Hermione rushed to pack her small rucksack with her small commodities for the train ride – mainly books – and realized she had forgotten to send the letter. Knowing that Hedwig and Pig were both put away already, she decided to chuck the letter in the bin and just write another more up-to-date letter on the train ride, and use either Hedwig or Pig then. _

Hermione woke up in a cold sweat. She'd never sent her parents that letter. Her one chance to speak to them – though she did lack the face to face contact that usual conversations held – and she had inadvertently forgotten. She realized it was typically out of the question to send a letter now; she didn't think her mum and dad would find it amusing to receive a letter from their future daughter. No – there was enough drama going on already, besides they weren't even married yet. Who knew if they knew about each other's existence yet – she was never one to ask questions about her parents prior love life. Now she was stuck in a different dimension, and the last thing she'd talked about – or had planned to talk about – was how she hoped they would win the war.

'_Heartfelt Hermione, __**real**__ heartfelt.'_

She looked about the empty infirmary and noticed it hadn't changed at all, this was of course considering the fact that the last time she had spent any _real _time in the hospital wing she was petrified. The huge stained glass windows were illuminated with sunlight, and the room was immaculately clean. Each bed was stationed precisely five feet from the next, their duvets turned down, with a bedside table and lamp next to each. The tactful masonry floors had not one speck of dust on them, and she could have sworn to have seen medicine bottles putting themselves away the night before. It was as if she were still in her own time. Then Madam Pomfrey walked into the room and reality hit her.

"Good morning Ms. Granger. I'm sorry to hear of your situation. If Dumbledore would have informed me of the situation I would have taken your case much more to heart."

"Don't worry about it. I was just a little flabbergasted I guess."

"Well that's all in the past now, how are you feeling _today_?"

"Much better."

"Do want to test the waters and take a walk around the infirmary? I think it will do you some good. If your okay with walking I'll be happy to discharge you around lunchtime."

Hermione slowly stepped out of her bed. So far so good. The floor was cold to touch, and her bare feet flinched at the chilly brickwork. After successfully taking three laps around the room Madam Pomfrey signed her out of the hospital wing. She would need to take one more potion and after an hour of distribution she would be free to go.

Around eleven-thirty Hermione stepped out of the hospital wing and onto the first floor. This was different. Last time she checked the hospital wing had been on the third floor. It had completely slipped her mind that in her fifth year the wing had moved to the third floor, and that before that it had been located on the first floor, down the hall from Professor McGonagall's office.

"Welcome to Hogwarts, 1976." She said to herself, as she headed in the direction of the Gryffindor tower.

After climbing the seven or so flights of stairs to the location of the Gryffindor tower, Hermione ran into a certain unexpected person, or rather an unexpected soul.

"Sir Nicholas! It's so nice to see you!"

"Ah! It's nice to see you to – pardon me dear, excuse me for asking, but who are you?"

Hermione laughed to herself. "I'm Hermione Granger, you don't know me – yet, but you will. I'm –"

"Ah yes. You're one of the girls the staff won't shut up about. So… you're from the future eh?"

"Yes, but I ask that you don't say that too loud. I don't want anyone knowing at the moment."

"No worries my dear. Don't worry; Dumbledore has already given us the threat that if we tell, it'll be him we'll be answering to." Hermione smiled at her house ghost. "So I hear you're a Gryffindor. Welcome, welcome!"

"Thank you! Glad to be here."

"I say, would you mind telling me something my dear?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

Hermione knew what was coming. "I'm sorry Sir, but you've still not been accepted."

"Damn Headless Hunt! I'll get them one day, you watch!" Hermione smiled, as the sheer figure flew off in a rage.

'_It was nice talking to you again,' she thought. _Then turning to face the portrait of the fat lady, she realized she didn't know the password. _'Bugger! What am I supposed to do now?' _"Um, excuse me miss."

"Do you have the password?"

"Well… um… no, but you see the problem is I'm new, and Dumbledore never told me the password, so if you could just open the door for me that would make my day!"

"I'm sorry; no password, no entry."

"Pandora's Crest." The voice came from behind, and scared the living daylights out of Hermione. Turning around, she soon found it to be none other than the boy who had claimed to be Sirius Black the day before. He saw her turn, and put a huge smile on his face, "Hello. Remember me?"

Hermione was speechless. Harry's godfather, the man whose death she had witnessed firsthand, was standing in front of her – speaking to her! "Uh…" It suddenly dawned on her that he was probably looking for a reply. "Yes!"

"Well I've never had quite an enthusiastic response, but it's nice to know somebody gives a damn about me… then again what am I saying, who doesn't want a piece of this?"

'_Same old Sirius I see.' Hermione thought. _Then she realized, she couldn't spill her secret. It had to be kept, and as much as it would pain her to hold her tongue, she had to. "Sirius right?"

"Sirius Black. My friends call me Padfoot, or Pads, but only my closest friends."

"Then why would you tell _me _that information. You hardly know me." She turned around and realized that her tone was tiny bit on the harsh side, so she turned back around, thanked him for the password and vanished into the Gryffindor Common Room.

Sirius watched as the "new" girl walked into his house common room. "Hmm… tricky."

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.**

**Please review!! :-)**

**-Dominique xx**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three:**

Hermione walked into her common room, the same common room she had occupied for the past six years at Hogwarts, only now it was twenty years younger. Nonetheless, it was still the same common room, exactly the way she left it—twenty years in the future.

'_Oh the memories.' _She realized how silly the thought was. _Memories? _They weren't memories. She wasn't an eighty-year-old woman reminiscing about the past. This _was_ the past. She had seen this room just less than three months ago. It was the _same _room. Then why did it feel like she would never see the old room again?

"_Uh… this is the __**old**__ room.' Her conscience answered._

She looked around the red and gold dressed room, and thought about all its tiny quirks; the hole in the wall that nobody had any idea of how it got there, the tiny compartment big enough to hold a small book still hid in the wall next to the entryway, the statue of the lion's head leading to Head's quarters stood proud, and as usual the room was filled with students. This room _was _the past, present and future.

"Looking for someone?"

Hermione turned around and found Sirius standing there—again. She flipped back around at the sight of him, and answered, "Yes, actually. Have you seen a short red-head? She's kind of loud, and very enthusiastic about everything. Her name's –

"Ginny?"

"Yes!" She twirled around in delight. "Do you know her?"

"Know her? _Do I? _She's been eating with us for the past three and a half days. She's a right piece of work, but then again you sort of have to be when you hang out with the Marauders." He was so proud. She then realized she should not be acting like she knew who he was talking about. The topic of the Marauders was supposed to be abstract.

"The Marauders?" '_Merlin, this is going to be hard.'_

Sirius' face lit up. "Do you want to meet them?" Without waiting for an answer he grabbed her arm and pulled her in the direction of the dorms, surpassing anyone who said hello to him – mainly girls to Hermione's surprise.

They burst into the seventh year, boys dormitory and found two boys and Ginny sitting on a bed talking.

"Whoa! Sirius, mate slow down! At least wait until we've left the room… hey wait a tick! Isn't that the broad from Poppy's?" The boy jumped off the bed and headed towards Hermione and Sirius with a smirk plastered on his face; she knew exactly who it was. "James Potter, Gryffindor Head Boy and Charmer of the Ladies, asking permission to shake the hand of the luckiest newcomer in the house." He shot his hand out for Hermione to take, and continued to smirk devilishly. Hermione took the hand, but instantly inquired as to why she was so lucky. "Why, you're going to get the shag of your life!" Hermione instantly dropped his hand. "Sirius usually waits a bit, but hey… good for you!"

"Hang on a sec! No one is shagging anyone here!" Ginny jumped off the bed and stood next to Hermione. "This is not just any broad he picked up from the hospital wing. This is Hermione. She's the one I told you about."

"Wait. This is Hermione?" Ginny nodded. "But… but we sat with her! We had no idea… whoa!"

"It's nice to meet you." Hermione laughed as she re-shook his hand.

"_Yeah…_ Sorry about that. I get a bit carried away sometimes."

"_A bit? Sometimes?_ That's a bit of an understatement. Please excuse my friend. It's nice to meet you Hermione, I'm Remus, Remus Lupin."

"Oh! I need to talk to you. Dumbledore has appointed me Gryffindor Prefect. I was told to talk to you."

"Wow! That was fast! He must like you! To have given you the job just like that? Well no worries. All the prefects meet on Thursdays and you and I patrol on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and every other Sunday. We have other jobs like planning events, but it's only the first week – we have plenty of time to deal with that kind of stuff."

She wanted to comment on the fact that she already knew everything he was telling her, as nothing had actually changed in the future, but she stuck with a smile and happily spoke the words "Sounds brilliant" instead.

"So Hermione, _these_ are the Marauders. Well two of them at least. Where _is_ Peter?"

"He went home. Something about his Gran needing help or something."

'_Yea I'm sure.' Hermione thought lividly._

"Well no worries, you'll meet him another time."

"I'm sure I will." It was harsh, and snappy – not exactly what Sirius and the boys were expecting as a response.

"Are you okay?" Sirius questioned when he saw her face. "Do you know Peter?"

Ginny shot a scared look at Hermione. She had obviously kept the secret and not talked of the future, both of which Hermione was entirely grateful, but she still had to justify her reaction.

"Um… yes! I'm fine. It's just… well you see… uh we have a friend, or we did… back where we come from. He well… he wasn't much of a friend. His name was Peter too. I just get antsy around the name. That's all. I didn't mean to snap – sorry."

"Well that's okay. We all have our enemies – right?"

"Yeah." The anger inside Hermione's head was so visible, she thought she would burst at the seams and spill everything. Thankfully Ginny was there to settle the wild beast within her.

"Well now that everyone knows everyone, Hermione how are you? Isn't this bizarre?"

"I'm fine, to say the least. And I think bizarre is a bit of an understatement."

"Ginny was telling us how you two have been home-schooled until now. I didn't know you could do that." Hermione didn't know what to say; Remus was speaking gibberish to her. _Home schooled?_ She was looking at them with a facial expression explaining her lack of understanding, and when they only returned it Hermione knew what was going on. Almost instantly she heard Ginny clear her throat. Snapping her focus to the red-head, Hermione was finally clued in.

"Well not very many people know about it. They only started allowing it a few years before we started school."

"That's what Ginny told us."

'_Thank Merlin.'_

"By the way, we're really sorry to hear about your auntie." James put his hand on her shoulder. "We told Ginny that if you ever want to talk about it, we're here."

"My auntie?"

"Uh…" Ginny hurried over to Hermione, pushing James out of the way, and put her arm around her. Hastily ushering her to one of the beds, she whispered, "Play along!" Sitting her on the closest bed she consoled an "upset" Hermione. "There, there Hermione. It's okay. I was just about to tell the boys how we were both adopted."

"Well I want to hear too!" Sirius jumped on a bed close by and made himself comfy.

'_Honestly, and he's seventeen?'_

"Okay. Well as I was about to tell James and Remus, Hermione and I were both adopted – both at birth. She's a year older than me, so obviously she was adopted a year before me, but soon after that our adopted parents split up. That's why we have different surnames."

"Wow! Dramatic much? I mean seriously who splits their kids up when they divorce? It's not like you guys are property."

"It gets better." Ginny lied.

'_Wow, she's got this one figured out then.' _Hermionewas _almost_ impressed

"Well…" She said giving Hermione a look of fear that gave her the impression that they might not buy into this. "About three years ago, our parents decided we should meet. They thought what better than to send us to our Great Auntie Sophie. That way she could break the news to us, and they wouldn't have to deal with our reactions."

"That's terrible."

"Just wait… Hermione and I met with no problems and we dealt with the fact that we were adopted sisters. We both found it really childish that our parents couldn't care enough to tell us themselves. So we made plans to stay in touch as much as possible, and got ready to go back to our respective parents – me with our mum and Hermione with our dad. Well on our last day at our auntie's we got an owl from the ministry saying both our parents had been killed on a mission – they were partnered aurors."

"Wait. So they worked together all that time? And they never told you anything?"

"Nope. In fact we even met our other parent once or twice, we just never knew. Then they were killed."

"At first we were angry and upset," Hermione sniffled, "then we were shocked that they were gone, and now we're somewhat relieved and happy. Without that, we would have never lived together, or been home schooled by our auntie, and we would never have become the sisters that we are now." '_I can't believe I'm doing this.'_

"But then your aunt passed away over the summer, and now you're here?"

"Yes." The girls sulked.

"Well, excuse me for asking, but were you home schooled before?"

"What?" Ginny asked. '_Shit, hadn't thought about that. Remus, I could strangle you!'_

"You said this happened about three years ago. Where did you guys go to school before that?"

Ginny shot a look of panic towards Hermione, asking her to take the reigns on this one. "Well… I know that with all my dad's traveling I had a nanny who taught me. Sort of like a governess. He always said sending me to an actual school would be his last resort – he didn't trust anyone."

"He must've put the idea in my mum's head, because I had the exact same thing."

"Wow."

"We're so sorry." James said sympathetically.

"It's in the past."

"Well we're glad you're okay."

Hermione looked at Ginny with a face that read irony all over. "Yes, we're fine."

"GINNY!" A shrill voice from what sounded like the stairwell sounded loudly. "GINNY WHERE ARE YOU?"

"Uh-oh, quick hide." Sirius said lacking all enthusiasm and replacing it with a cynical tone. "You don't want to be seen with us."

"SIRIUS!" Ginny and James yelled.

"Padfoot, she's not that bad." James said, as Ginny went to the door.

"That's only because you _love_ her!"

"Lily we're in here!" Ginny shouted, shutting the door afterwards.

"In three, two, one," Sirius snarled, "Ginny what are you doing in here?"

The door burst open and an annoyed red-head, Harry's mum, rushed in. "Ginny what are you doing in here?" Sirius exploded into laughter.

"I'll have you know _Black_, that I don't appreciate you taking my friends and putting stupid ideas into their heads. What have you been telling Ginny about this time? Huh? Was it how you could destroy yet another one of my uniforms? No? Maybe it was just how you could get yet another one of my friends to turn on me. Well it's not happening again!"

"Can I say one thing Evans?"

"Do I have a choice?"

"No. Not really. Do you ever think that they turn their backs on you because you're a bloomin' nutcase? Ever think of it that way?"

"BLACK! I swear to Merlin, I _will_ break you!"

"We'll see Miss Goody Two Shoes."

"Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey. Hey." James butted in dramatically.

"What do you want _Potter_?"

"Well I was going to inform you that Sirius has not been telling Ginny anything, he and Hermione just arrived about ten minutes ago, and Ginny was doing the talking. Remus and I brought Ginny here, and it was because she wanted to. So before you go breaking anything, though I'd love to see Pads get his ass battered… you might want to think about breaking the right person first… but please… I urge you not to break me. There was no harm intended – I swear."

Lily looked at Ginny for an affirmative, and when Ginny nodded back in return Lily let out a huge huff of a sigh. "Fine, but please can we get out of here now?"

Ginny looked at Hermione, and then the boys and gave them an apologetic look. "Sorry guys."

"It's okay. See you at dinner."

"Ginny!" Hermione said panicky.

"What? Oh for Merlin's sake. You're coming with us."

"Oh of course!" Lily snapped. "You don't think we'd leave you alone with these two did you? Cor, that's like asking to have your sanity pulled out through your ass bit by bit."

"Lily! That's rancid!" Ginny laughed.

Sirius leaned over to Hermione and mumbled, "Sad thing is, she knows exactly how it feels."

Hermione giggled a little bit, but immediately stopped when Lily snapped, "I heard that!"

"Come on girls, before somebody loses a head – or an arm, or a leg." Ginny and Hermione said goodbye and were quickly ushered out by Lily.

"Honestly, I don't know what you see in them."

'_Don't worry, you soon will.' Hermione thought._

"Oh Lily, they're harmless." Ginny laughed. "By the way, if you hadn't already guessed, this is Hermione. She's the one –

"The one from the hospital wing. Yes, I remember. How are you feeling?"

"Better, now that I'm awake." Hermione said giving off a slight laugh.

"Well you were out for a pretty long time. Three days, I've not met a person at Hogwarts who's been out that long, and I'm Head Girl. I know everyone."

'_Well it certainly sounds like the Lily Evans everyone's told us about.' Hermione thought with a smile._

"Well, I'm here now."

"Well, I'm glad. Welcome to Gryffindor. I heard Dumbledore made you Prefect. He must like you."

"You're not the first to say so." Hermione laughed.

"Well Remus is great. He's one of the few people around here who is actually sane, though I can't begin to understand why he associates himself with those two, but nonetheless he's a great bloke. You two will get along great."

"Thanks, I have a feeling we will."

The three girls had finally made their way back down to the common room and were heading towards the statue of the lion's head. They were going to Lily's quarters.

Eventually they found themselves standing in a room with extremely high ceilings, and masses of red and gold galore. The two winding stairwells stood just as Hermione imagined they would, both leading up to a balcony with a door on either end. The door in between the two leading the presumed lavatory, and loads and loads of books covering the walls. It was a dream room. The kitchen was off to the side and the living area was the most cozy thing Hermione had ever witnessed.

'_And to think I could have had this.'_

"So… Ginny… can you tell me now?"

"Tell you what?" Hermione asked.

"Oh Ginny said she had to tell me something, but I had to wait until you had woken up, because you guys have to tell me together or something… so can you tell me now?"

"Ginny?" Hermione looked over at her best friend with a look that spelled _'you didn't' _all over.

"What!" Ginny said returning her own version of a "look." "Oh come on! You didn't expect me to keep it all bundled up inside! I had to tell someone! I obviously couldn't tell _the Marauders, _so Lily was next. Come on Hermione. Besides don't you think she kind of deserves to know."

"Know what?"

Hermione looked at an anxious Lily and sighed. "Fine. But I'm telling it, and I'm stopping when I feel necessary."

"Oh thank Merlin. I thought I was going to die." Lily said flying onto one of the sofas in excitement. It was extremely clear to Hermione that she obviously didn't get this kind of attention often.

Ginny and Hermione sat on the opposite sofa and after gathering her thoughts all together Hermione sighed once more, and began. "Well you see, I don't know what Ginny told you about our past, but it's not really true."

"Well she told me that you guys were adopted, and home schooled, and that your parents both died, and then you auntie continued your tutoring and then she died, so that's why you're here. But what isn't true?"

"Well… all of it."

"What? What do you mean?"

"Well first off… we're not adopted sisters."

"Are you serious?"

"Does it look like I'm joking?"

"I guess not."

"We're just best friends. I met her through her brother Ron, that's how we became so close. Ron is also one of my best friends."

"Okay."

"Also, neither of our parents died, and we have never been home schooled, by our parents or our aunts."

"So where did you go to school?"

Hermione looked at Ginny with a scared face. "Here."

"What? How? That's not possible. I've never seen you before, I barely know you."

"It is possible, and we know you."

"What is this? Are you some kind of spy force or whatever? Am I being stalked? I _cannot _be stalked at the moment! I have no time to deal with that!"

"Lily! Calm down. You're not being stalked. The reason we know you and you don't know us, the reason why we've gone to school here is because we're from twenty years in the future." Lily's mouth fell open.

"Twenty-one to be exact," Ginny interjected.

"We were on the Hogwarts Express after everyone had gotten off, because Ginny left her bag in the compartment, and all of a sudden the train started moving and the driver wasn't in his compartment. So we apparated to the gates, but I'm guessing that somewhere in the middle of our trip, we went back in time."

"Oh. My. God."

"Tell me about it."

"But Lily you can't tell anyone!" Ginny butt in.

"Oh my goodness I would never! I swear upon it with my life! This is so cool! What's it like? How do you know me? Am I nice? Am I married? Do I have children? What about a job? Is it good? Is everything completely different here? Come on what's it like?"

"Well things _are _different, but you know that happens when times change. Um… you're married, you have children… as far as I know you're nice. I think you're an auror. I'm not sure really." Ginny noticed that she was talking in the present tense… she wasn't going to tell her that she was dead, or that she marries James… heck she'd be surprised if she told her about Harry.

"Who do I marry?"

"I don't know him."

"What about my children? I'm sure you know them."

"I don't." Hermione frowned. She hated this – this lying. "I'm sorry."

"So that's it? I'm an auror, I get married, and I have kids, both of whom you don't know."

"Well I think you only have one. I think it's a boy, but I'm not entirely sure."

"Okay. I guess it _is_ best that I don't know. I like surprises, I can wait. It's still amazing though!"

Ginny and Hermione laughed at their new friend's capability to bounce back completely, and they were relieved that she didn't question them any further.

"But once again, you can't tell anyone! The teachers know, and you, and that's it! Lily, we trust you with this."

"I promise! I really do!"

"Okay then. So do you want to go to the library?"

"I knew I liked you from the beginning." Lily laughed.

"Oh gods… not here too!" Ginny whined.

"Oh come on you lazy bugger." Hermione laughed.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

"I can't believe you're siding with her. You only just met her an hour ago!"

"Ginny, keep your voice down. We're in a library. And what did you expect? You know how I feel about quidditch."

"You didn't object to me playing in the future."

"First off, watch what you say around here. Secondly, you didn't see me jumping for joy either. Besides, I didn't think you'd actually make the tryout."

"Thanks!"

Hermione laughed, "Oh come off it Gin. Do you honestly think Harry picked you solely on your amazing skills with a broom?"

"I resent that."

Hermione, Lily, and Ginny stood just inside the entrance of the library facing a bulletin board of announcements. Pinned in the center of the board was an announcement to the captains of each house quidditch team declaring tryouts to be held sometime within the next two weeks. Students were to contact James Potter, Amos Diggory, Andrew Summerby, or Robert Entwhistle if they were interested.

"Oh Gin, you know I'm joking, though I'm sure it helped that he fancied you."

"Who's Harry?" Lily asked.

Hermione and Ginny glanced up at each other. "Um. He's… uh…"

"He's my boyfriend!"

'_Nice save Ginny.'_

"Oh. You have a boyfriend? I'm so jealous. The closest thing I've got to a boy liking me is that dumbass Potter asking me out every sodding second under the sun."

"Ha!" Ginny burst out before she could stop herself.

"Why is that funny?"

"It's just that Harry is James' son." Ginny spit out again.

"Ginny!" Hermione yelled earning herself a loud clearing of the throat from Madam Pince. "Sorry." She turned back to Ginny with glaring eyes.

"What?" Ginny returned.

"Yeah what?" Lily echoed.

"Nothing. It's just that – well Dumbledore advised us to be discrete that's all."

"Oh. Well you have nothing to worry about. I'm not about to go blabbing anything about Potter's illegitimate children."

"Harry's not illegitimate!"

"Girls this is your last warning."

"Sorry Madam Pince," they replied in unison.

"Harry is not illegitimate!" Ginny whispered again.

"Really? So Potter actually settled down? What a trip! Who is it? Do I know her? No wait don't tell me. Is it Alicia Bennet - or how about Lacy Spinner?" Hermione and Ginny looked at her with confused faces. "Do you even know those girls?"

"No, but I'm sure we'll get to know them."

"Hmph. Your funeral. Anyways, who is it then?"

Once again glancing at each other Hermione and Ginny knew they couldn't tell Lily just yet.

"Well I've never met her. Ginny?" Hermione smiled, happy to rid herself of the burden.

'_Thanks Hermione.' _"Well come to think of it, I've never met her either. I was supposed to, but I got sick. Remember? That was the week I got vanishing sickness."

"Oh right. We weren't allowed anywhere near you."

"Well do you know her name at least?"

"Sorry."

"I've always referred to her as Harry's mum, or Mrs. Potter. Sorry."

"It's okay. It would only go to my head if I knew. I keep telling myself the only way to beat Potter is to not become him. Making fun of his future wife wouldn't do any good towards that."

"How mature of you Lily," Hermione said laughing.

"What? Hypocrisy is not something to be proud of."

"Which is why I'm trying out for the quidditch team."

"What on earth does that have anything to do with hypocrisy?"

"It doesn't. I'm just saying." Ginny said smiling her devilish smile.

"Ha! Ginny, sometimes you remind me so much of Black."

"What? You've known me all of three days and you're already making accusations."

The three decided the library probably wasn't the best place to be at that moment—that and Madam Pince was beginning to become royally pissed off with the trio—and decided to walk about the castle and chat instead.

"So what's your boyfriend like?"

"Harry?"

"Yeah. Is he anything like his prat of a father?"

Ginny smirked, "actually he's the spitting image, though I don't think he's as – how do you say? Bold?"

"So you're saying he doesn't insist on making your life hell by asking you out every five minutes?"

"Nope, once was enough for me. Well twice, but that's because we broke up."

"Potter has a new and improved way to ask me each time. I swear it's like he pulls them one by one out of his ass. If the boy didn't have me to taunt, his life would be a dark boring abyss."

Hermione laughed at her comment. "Lily? Did it ever occur to you that he might just like you?"

"You're joking. James Potter? Like me? In his dreams."

"Ha, I don't think it's up to you who he likes Lily, and besides it's a possibility."

"No it's not. Besides it doesn't even matter, because he's getting married to Harry's mum, and that can't possibly be me." She looked at the girls with a stern face and when they stood there blatantly trying to hide their guilty faces, Lily went pale. "Wait, you're trying to tell me –"

"Well look what we have here." Cut off in mid-sentence, Lily turned to find James Potter and two of his best friends on either side of him.

"Ugh, what now Potter? Come to torment me some more?"

"You flatter yourself Evans. Are we not allowed to roam the hallways like you?" When she didn't respond, he continued to look her straight in the eye and smile – or was it smirk? "So what are you lovely ladies chatting about?"

"Actually I was just telling the girls how I wanted to try out for the quidditch team."

"And we were strongly trying to talk her out of it."

"Oh shut it Lily," This earning her a round of '_oohs_' from the three boys. "I hear you're looking for a chaser."

James stopped laughing and cleared his throat. "You're serious?"

Before Sirius had the chance to take his cue, Ginny answered harshly, "Yes I am, is there a problem with me trying out for the team?"

"No, no problem. It's just – well you're a girl."

"Well we can all see why you were made Head Boy. Top of his class they say. Uh knock knock – of course I'm a girl! I wasn't aware boys had these – " She practically shouted as she grabbed her chest. There was a look of fear in the boys eyes. She _was _serious, and by no means letting up. "Now why does the fact that I'm a girl complicate the situation?"

"Uh – well you see…"

"What James is trying to say is that girls just aren't as good as boys." It came plain and simple out of Sirius' mouth and was immediately returned with a slap in the gut from James. "Ouchy! What was that for?"

"Oh just you wait Sirius Black. You'll see! I'll fly circles around you. Nowhere in the rules does it say I can't play. I'll see you on the day of tryouts!" And she stormed off.

"Well then!" Sirius stood with his hands on his hips, and he started teetering back and forth on his toes and heels. "How about that!" He began to nervously laugh, and when the rest of them just stood there looking at him he closed in on James. "Uh, Prongs? She doesn't actually believe she'll make the team does she?"

"Actually mate," James said as he slapped his mate on the shoulder, "I think she just made it loud and clear that that was _exactly _what she planned on doing." Then he too started walking away with Remus, Lily and Hermione following suit.

"But – but what'll we do if she's actually good? We can't have a girl on the team! It'll be like having Evans on the team only worse! PMS to the extreme!"

"Oh shut up Black, if she's on the team you'll have much more than PMS and the likes of me to deal with." Then turning the corner they left Sirius in the presence of his own shadow, whimpering like the sick puppy he was.

About a week later James was seen posting a red piece of parchment on the house bulletin board. Excited boys flocked the scene, but were soon pushed out of the way by an even more eager Ginny. A huge smile was plastered on her face to Lily and Hermione's dismay. This would be what made the year pass for her. She didn't have Harry, no mother to nag in her ear through howlers, and the war had barely begun where she resided now. Overall it would be completely boring. The smile, however, soon vanished when she saw the footnote at the bottom of the page.

_By Order of Sirius Black, best friend of James Potter – Captain, NO GIRLS ARE PERMITTED TO TRY OUT!_

"What?" She ripped the paper off the board and when the room filled with moans and groans from the underclass boys, she only replied with, "Oh shut it!" She pushed her way out of the crowd and found Hermione and Lily sitting by the fire pit. "Have you seen this?"

"What is it?"

"An outrage, that's what! I swear when I see that boy Black I'm string him limb from limb!"

"Well you've got my permission," Lily laughed. "What's he done this time?"

"Look!" She pushed the paper in her face angrily. "No girls! Who does that? Seriously, he must have some inferiority complex to think I actually might beat him at something."

"Well that's Black for you. The thing is, he's not really good at anything."

"LILY!" Hermione scolded with a laugh.

"Well it's true. He doesn't apply himself in anything. I think he'd be naturally good at tons of things if he'd just accept the fact that he isn't number one just by being Sirius Black. I think he's afraid that you might take the one thing that he's actually good at away from him."

"Why would I do that?"

"Because you want to try out for Chaser. That's what he is. If Potter picks this amazing chaser who is nonetheless a girl, what do you think is going to go through Black's mind?"

"Oh… I see. Well that's ridiculous! I'm not trying to steal James, that's your job."

"Exactly!" Hermione and Ginny burst into laughter. "I mean. Of course you're not stealing Potter. _Nobody _is. Who would want to?"

Hermione and Ginny looked at each other, and then at Lily. "You!"

"I don't know what you're talking about!" She began to pick her stuff up.

"Oh come on Lily! You know you love him!"

"Love who?" The voice from behind caused Lily to step in her bag's strap and trip. Thankfully someone caught her. "Whoa there Evens. Been drinking too much butterbeer again, have you?"

Lily stiffly pulled herself away from James and retorted, "No! Go away Potter, it's none of your business."

"But I just saved your life!"

"Hardly."

"Well I could have! What if you would've fallen into the fire?"

"It's not even lit, you idiot!"

"Well what if it had been?" He smirked. "You could have burned to death."

"Forgive me. How could I ever thank you enough?" It was pure sarcasm, and James knew that, which is why he chose to use it to his advantage – James Potter style.

"Go out with me."

"Sod off."

"Now, now Lily. You just said yourself you didn't know how to thank me. Well –"

"Come off it Potter! You and I both know I don't have the time for your stupid games. Now if you'll please get out of my way."

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because. You hurt my feelings."

"Oh pish-posh. You'll live. I think I just saw Alicia Bennet walk out of the room."

"So?"

"So go ask her out!" She was continuously trying to maneuver her way around him, but he just wouldn't shift.

"I don't want to ask her out! Why do you think I asked you?"

"Potter, you know why you asked me. You know how you can get under my skin –"

"Oooh." He smirked.

"And you know I can't stand you… so if you'd kindly move so I can go to my common room I'd appreciate it."

James looked sincerely hurt, though to Lily that just meant he deserved the gold in acting. "Fine," and he moved to the side. Lily, extremely flustered, rushed to the exit of the common room. "The statue's over there Evans!"

Without looking back she screamed, "I'll take the long way!" The door slammed shut, and the common room was silent.

"Stupid girl."

James turned around and found Hermione and Ginny sitting there. "Oh hi girls."

"What was that about?" Ginny asked.

"Oh nothing. She'll cave one of these days. I'm not giving up."

"How resolute of you," Hermione said with a smile. "You really like her don't you?"

"Does it show?"

"Ha! Yes." Ginny laughed.

James sat himself down next to Hermione. "I'm running out of ideas. She's not letting up, and although I say she's going to cave one day, I'm beginning to think she never will."

"Don't worry James," Hermione said, "she will. We'll work on her."

"That's okay guys. I don't want it to happen because her friends told her to. I don't know, it just doesn't seem genuine. It has to be her idea."

"It's okay, we understand."

"The problem is, how do I get her to listen to me?"

"Well you could start by beating her to the common room," Hermione suggested.

James slapped his knee. "Merlin you're a genius! I could kiss you!"

Hermione put her hand up to block him, "Save it for Lily."

James laughed, "Right. See ya!"

He ran to the corner of the room where the lion's head stood and disappeared into the stairwell.

"Where's he off to?" Sirius asked.

"To claim his fair maiden." Hermione said with a happy face.

"What do you want?" Ginny asked harshly.

"I just wanted to chat with you guys."

"Sorry. No boys allowed!" Ginny stood up and turned to Hermione. "Are you coming?"

"Uh…" She looked at Sirius who had the most pitiful face a boy could own. "No, I think I'm going to stay and talk to Sirius."

"Hermione!"

"What?"

"Ugh, fine. Traitor," and she stalked off angrily towards the girls dorms.

Sirius sat on the sofa with a sigh. "So, you can't resist my good looks eh?"

"Actually I was going to say I felt bad for you, but whatever makes your broom fly."

"Well if your only staying on pity, go with Ginny. I don't need it."

"Oh come on. Did you honestly think I was staying because I have a crush on you? Get real! I actually wanted to reprimand you."

"If that's what you call it these days, by all means reprimand me!" He opened his arms up for his punishment.

She slapped his leg. "You're sick."

"Love sick for you baby," he smirked.

"You're just like him, you know that?"

"Who?"

"James."

"Prongs? I resent that!"

"I thought he was your best friend?"

"He is, but I don't need to stoop as low as to chasing the same girl for over six years. They come running to me, and you're a perfect example. It always starts with them ditching their mates."

"For your information, you _are_ like James, and I didn't ditch Ginny so _you_ could flirt with _me_. I did it so I could tell you what a prat you are. You don't go writing things like that on public announcements!"

"Well it's true. Girls shouldn't be allowed to play quidditch!"

"Why not?"

"They just shouldn't!"

"What if I tried out?"

"You of all people shouldn't!"

"Ha! You're just scared."

"Yea, scared that a bludger will knock you to death!" He was genuinely yelling now, so much that it shocked Hermione.

"What?"

"You heard me! It's brutal out there! Do you know how I'd feel if I watched one of you get hit?" Hermione smiled. "What?"

"Nothing."

"What have I done now?"

"Sirius Black, you're a gentleman."

"What? No I'm not!"

She stood up, closed in to about three centimeters away from his face and said, "buck up Black it's just a compliment."

She went to find Ginny, leaving Sirius to sit there in complete awe. It was a strange sensation. Could he be that gentleman she was talking about?

'_Gentleman? Me? Hahaha! Nah! I have an image to keep!'_

_***_

"Alright let's do this!" James clapped his hands together as he walked into the circle of boys who wanted to try out, and of course Ginny. "We need a chaser and a beater, so I want to see ten laps around the field – timed. On the whistle." Everyone moseyed their way to their feet, except for Ginny who was already standing with her broom ready. The whistle blew and she was in the air before anyone had mounted their brooms.

James walked over to Sirius. "Well… looks like she wasn't joking. She's flying circles round all of them." Sirius just stood there in awe.

Ginny was done about two minutes before the rest of the group and landed gracefully in Sirius' face. "Oh sorry Black, I didn't see you there," and she walked over to the sideline.

Sirius rushed to James, "Did you see that!"

"Yeah, I did. She's amazing! Three minutes and two seconds. That beats your time mate!"

"No I'm talking about how she just pulled one of the biggest bitch moves on the field!"

"Oh grow up Pads! She's just busting you up. You're giving in way too easily!" He then walked over to congratulate Ginny on her great time. About a minute later most of the team had finished. "Alright! Now we're gonna switch it up a bit. I want those trying out for beater over there with Remus, and those who want chaser over there with Sirius. Good. Now I'm going to be in goal. Remus and a player of his choice will be playing beaters. Sirius and a player of _his _choice will be stationed at one end of the field with the quaffle. Sirius will start out with the ball, and then it's up to you to show us your skills. You _can _play it back and forth, hint I _do _need to see your passing skills. Remus and his player will be trying to knock you off course. I'll be in goal, if you can get it in… well we'll just see if you can get it in."

"Don't worry _guys, _he's only a seeker… he couldn't block a quaff if his life depended on it." Sirius joked.

"Alright. Remus, Sirius… pick your players. Don't worry everyone will get a chance, and everyone will be watching, so… no pressure."

"Okay, let's see. I'll take Watson first."

"Bats are over there Jonathan." James pointed to behind the bench. "Sirius?"

Sirius looked among the five boys and Ginny, and smirked when he saw her sitting there eagerly. "Get up here Mills." Smiling at Ginny as Ryan Mills walked over to him, she only returned his emotion with a hateful glare.

After the third chaser had tried out, Ginny realized what Sirius was doing. She would be last.

'_Fine, if he wants to show me up, he's gonna get the performance of a lifetime.'_

Ginny was finally up. "Sure you still want to do this?"

"Why? Frightened are you?"

"Not in the least."

"We'll see about that." It was then that Sirius was reminded of his conversation with Hermione, and he grabbed Ginny by the wrist. "Get off me Black. You can't stop me from trying out."

"I was just going to say be careful."

Ginny looked at him incredulously. He looked genuine, but then again this was Sirius Black. '_Focus! He's just trying to spaz you. You can do this.' _She scowled as she snatched her arm from his. "Try and keep up," and she disappeared into the air.

"What's wrong Sirius!" James yelled from the goal. "Get in the air!"

Sirius' broom rose into the air, and when he was positioned with the quaffle James blew the whistle. Sirius flew towards the goal and Ginny waited for him to throw the ball her way. They were almost halfway down the pitch when it came her way. She had already dodged two bludgers. Catching the ball swiftly, she quickly dove beneath him and to his other side without him noticing.

"How did you get over there?" He yelled.

"Just catch the ball!" And she threw it back to him.

She flew ahead and circled the goals twice before she caught the ball once more, and by catching James off guard she scored. She flew back over to the bench and landed where a group of boys sat in awe.

"That was amazing!"

"Where did you learn to do that?"

"Who are you?"

"Ginny Weasley! That's who," said James as he swooped into a landing. "Alright guys, err and Ginny, the two lucky players who made it will be posted tomorrow. Good luck to all, and go and take a shower… you lot smell worse than Sirius on a good day."

"Oi!"

"Just kidding mate."

James finished packing the box of balls while Ginny took her shoes off. "So have you changed your mind yet?"

"Me?" Sirius asked with attitude.

"No, the piece of wood you're sitting on. Yes you!"

"Well that was pretty smooth of you, and you dodged those bludgers really well, so I guess. As long as you stay conscious the whole time!"

"What?"

"Err – um… I mean, you have to play nicely."

"Nicely?"

"Yeah, none of this bitchiness you've been pulling all day."

"Then again Pads. I'm not so sure that would be a bad idea. Might scare the other teams away."

"I was talking about me!"

"Really? What a shocker!" Ginny laughed.

"Hey!"

"Oh come off it Black. Besides, nobody likes a nice girl."

The list was posted the next day at lunchtime, and to nobody's surprise Ginny was chosen as chaser along with a boy named Will Haverdax as beater. The first practice would be on the first Thursday of October.

Ginny sat at lunch with a smile on her face. "Well I'm glad that's over."

"What is?" Lily asked.

"The wait. I didn't get any sleep last night."

"Oh come on Ginny, you knew you would get it. You saw the faces of all those boys when you landed. They knew they had no chance. Face it. You're amazing and you know it."

"Don't flatter her." Sirius barked.

"Awe! Does wittle Siwius feel fwetened?" Hermione cooed.

"No! I'm just saying you don't want all this flattery to go to her head. She might not play as well."

"Yea, yea, we get it. You're jealous." James said seriously.

"Prongs!"

"What?" James looked at him with a playful smile. "Learn to joke Pads… you used to be good at it."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

Quidditch practices had begun, and nothing short of a few arguments between Ginny and Sirius had also occurred. Thankfully they only had to be sent off the pitch once, due to an erratic game of who-can-hit-the-other-chaser-the-hardest. Fortunately James had a lot of experience with Sirius' four year old behavior, adding another attitude to the list wasn't much more work. Besides, he really had Remus to thank; he had a knack for stepping in when he knew James was getting nowhere, which happened the majority of the time.

***

"You know, if you'd just give a little and let me score every so often we might score more!" Ginny shouted at Sirius as the Gryffindor quidditch team assembled in the locker room after their game against Hufflepuff.

"I think you're missing the key point. We won!"

"Yeah thanks to you!" Ginny retaliated.

"What the bloody hell is wrong with that? We won the sodding game didn't we? What does it matter if I scored more goals than you? You jealous or something? Upset that you can't uphold what you said before tryouts?"

"How in hell am I supposed to uphold what I said before tryouts if my teammate won't pass the fucking quaffle?"

"What if you dropped it?"

"How in hell do you know if I'll drop it? You haven't given me a bloody chance to even hold the ball let alone drop it!"

"OY! That's enough! You two better pipe down and learn to play together or I'll find two new chasers and sacrifice the cup! Now sit down with your team and listen to your captain speak for once in your lives!" James had pushed his way in between Ginny and Sirius and made sure that they sat on opposite sides of the locker room. He threw his gloves to the ground and took a deep breath before beginning his captain's speech. "All right. Now look everyone, that was a good first game, but we have got to pick up the pace, and that goes for everyone. The beaters are behind. The chasers are out of sync and I can't sit around making sure everyone's peachy keen because I've got to look for the bloody snitch. Now you guys have got to get your acts in order. Remus I want you to schedule a beaters practice. Just let me know when so I can clear it with Madam Hooch. As for you two…" He looked straight at the ground and pointed in opposite directions towards Ginny and Sirius. "You two are two of the best chasers I've ever seen… probably good enough to be professional… but before you start arguing on which of you is better I need to emphasize that without the two of you working together, you are useless to me. You two are **also** going to arrange a separate practice and you are going to sort out your differences. I don't want to hear any more of this 'I'm better that you are' business. You are both as good as the other. Am I understood?"

Ginny looked down in embarrassment, "Yes."

Sirius looked up in spite of his best friend and retorted with, "Yes, Mum." James quickly shot him a look that expressed that he was, by no means, joking, and Sirius quickly wiped the smirk off his face and revised his answer. "Yes, James." Immediately after he looked down at his hands in shame. Remus thought the whole thing to be rather amusing, but when James looked at him for recognition he nodded his head in approval of his job well done.

"Right then. Congratulations on the win. Let's make it bigger and better next time! Hit the showers and see you at the next practice. I expect dates and times for the extra practices then. Dismissed." The locker room exploded into cheers and the team dispersed in different directions.

"Well done mate. Couldn't have said it better myself." Remus said as he clapped James on the back for having the strength to stand up to the two most stubborn students in Hogwarts.

"Yeah good speech Prongsie. You're the best!" Sirius said reaching his arm around James' other shoulder. James and Remus stopped and just stared blankly at their friend.

"Honestly, Sirius? I wasn't joking! You're a mess!" He took his arm off his shoulder and walked away leaving Sirius to fend for himself, yet again.

The locker room cleared out and Sirius was all by himself. "Well you know what? That's just fine! I'm the best chaser in the world! Yeah that's right! The world! I can chase just like the best of them! So… so… so there! You just see if I'll take you back as my best friend!"

"I'm under the impression that this happens a lot, and that he's the one who takes you back quite often." Ginny's voice resonated from behind him, and when he turned around he saw her standing plainly with her broom at her side.

"Yeah, well what do you know? You've been here for a few weeks and you all of a sudden think you know everything about me and my friends?"

"I think you underestimate me, Sirius… besides… I thought they weren't your friends anymore." She smirked trying to make him smile, but he just looked further into the ground.

"Just leave me alone."

"I'm probably the last person you want to start ordering around, Sirius Black. You don't know where I've been. I can handle you just as well as the rest. I've got brothers you know."

"You do? I thought you and Hermione were only children."

'_Fuck. Nice one Ginny. Quick… he's not that smart… think!' _"Well what I meant is I've got a lot of cousins… and well… they sort of raised me before I moved in with my auntie. You know… sort of like older brothers."

"Oh… yeah… James is sort of like my brother. His parents took me in when I got kicked out."

"I know."

"You do?"

'_Blast! Stop it Ginny… just play dumb for Christ's sake!' _"Oh, I mean… James was telling me something along those lines. I didn't really inquire as to why or how, you know… just sort of listened. He told me you'd been kicked out of your family, and that you were now staying with him. I thought it sounded like a lot of fun." She tried to force a smile onto her face as though she didn't know why Sirius had been excommunicated, as though she didn't know that his best friend whom he just referred to as a brother would be dead in a matter of a few years.

"Yeah, I guess. I always thought of the Potters as more of a family to me. I mean I spend nearly every holiday with them. I guess it was a matter of time before they opened their doors to me. They really are a great lot of people."

"I'm not surprised. James seems to be pretty top notch himself."

"Yeah, he's great. I just wish Evans would take note of that for once. I think the two of them have been bantering for so long that they've actually forgotten the whole point. They love each other."

Ginny laughed. "Well, well, well… and here I was thinking Hermione and I were the only ones to notice the obvious. I'm glad we're not alone."

He smiled. "Yeah well I've been dealing with this since year one. It's been absolutely ridiculous. There was one time when I thought Lily might cave."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah, James sat down at breakfast and presented her with a rose. It was the most beautiful flower I'd ever set eyes on. Completely perfect in every way. Viciously red, velvet to touch but had the appearance of…"

"Glass?"

"Yeah! How'd you know?"

"Oh… uh… my cousins…"

"They have a rose like this?" Sirius asked in confusion.

"Uh… well… sort of… they used to own a joke shop. They sold roses that looked just like the one you're talking about, but they… uh… squirted ink out of their center."

"Ha, wow… where was this joke shop? Maybe I've heard of it."

"I'm not sure where it was, exactly. Auntie wouldn't let Hermione and I go there. She said it wasn't for upstanding young ladies, but I'm under the impression that it is very similar to Zonko's Joke Shop. It was called Weasley's Wizard Wheezes."

"Wow, that's a mouthful. I haven't heard of it. I'll have to ask James, maybe he knows of it. But anyway, as much as I wish this rose would have squirted Lily in the face with ink, it didn't." He frowned.

Ginny laughed. "I thought you wanted James and Lily to get together."

"Oh I do! I meant squirting her in the face would have been much better than what actually happened with the rose." This caught Ginny's attention immediately. She was just angry Harry wasn't there to hear the story. It might help him in terms of finding the rose. "You see, James sat down and started this really well thought out speech… you know really sappy lovey dovey shit. Anyway… when he pulled the rose out for Lily and gave it to her, it turned to ash in her hands. Well naturally she took this as a huge insult. Obviously it wasn't James' fault, nor his intention, but what was he supposed to do. She just took it as another prank to get her all wound up. But I swear, for a few minutes she was complete mush. That's when I knew she loved him too. Poor James… lost a lot of his spirit that day."

"Wow…" Ginny didn't know what to say. She was heartbroken in two places. The rose had turned to ash, and James had lost his one good chance at getting the girl he loved. Of course she wasn't too heartbroken for him. She knew he'd get another chance… it was the rose that had her more worried, but she couldn't let Sirius know that.

"Yeah… but don't worry. I've got lots of plans for those two."

"Ha! Don't you think you should let those two figure their own life out?"

"Well sure, but if I don't help out, how am I supposed to take credit for it?"

Ginny shook her head in disbelief. "Oh Sirius… you will never change…"

"Is that a bad thing?"

Ginny laughed, "Fortunately for you… I don't think so."

"Phew!" Sirius pretended to wipe the sweat off his brow.

"Okay… I think it is about time we forget our childishness and get to business on the field. Now I'm willing to put aside our differences if you are."

Sirius looked at his teammate square in the eye to make sure she wasn't trying to weasel her way into something, and when he was sure that she was being genuine he held out his hand for her to shake. "Okay, deal." She took his hand with a smile and shook it in agreement. "But just so you know… I am better than you."

"Black you better get your ass out of this room before I make it black!" He let out a bark of laughter and ran straight out of the locker room just as Ginny pulled out her wand.

***

Ginny finally caught up with Sirius by the Gryffindor common room and they made the highly amusing decision to play with James' head.

They walked into the common room and to no surprise they found everyone except Lily sitting around the fire pit chatting.

"No… you are by far better. Honestly. You've got the better hook shot. I'm just the back up." Sirius said as he entered the room.

"No, no! Honestly Sirius… You're the one who taught me that. How is it possible that I'm better when you're the one who's taught me everything I know?"

James just looked at the two. He couldn't believe it. His two chasers who wouldn't stop bickering about how they were better than the other were now bickering over the complete opposite. "I'm going up the wall. You've got to be kidding me. Half an hour ago I couldn't get you two to stop bickering at each other and now you're best friends. I'm half inclined not to let you play on account of you are driving me insane!"

"What are you talking about Prongsie? You told us we had to learn to get along. We've put aside our differences and now you're telling us we can't play because of that? You're not making sense mate."

James stood up and walked towards the lion's head. "I need a drink."

"Oh no you don't Potter." He snapped around and found Lily standing behind him. "You know that's against the rules. I won't have you drinking in our commons."

"I wasn't going to drink in here. I was going to drink in my room. You're welcome to join me Lily-Billy." He said making up a pet name on the spot.

"Don't call me that. And I will have you know that not now, nor will I ever be caught drinking in your room. On the other hand, I won't be caught dead in your room in the first place, so you can forget any side comments you had brewing in your mind."

"Fine. You know what… fuck the lot of you. I'm done." Almost immediately his mood went from slightly sour to completely over the top angry. He stormed out of the common room and left everyone completely speechless…

"Jeeze… he does give you a right headache doesn't he?" Sirius commented, resulting in his receiving a slap across the back of the head from Lily. "Ouch! What was that for?"

"Not now, Sirius! What the hell was that?" Lily asked pointing to the door that James had just slammed. There was complete silence in the common room, and everyone made an effort to avert their eyes from Lily's. When she finally caught on she let out a huge scoff. "Oh come off it! You don't actually believe that was because of me? That's ridiculous! We've always fought!"

Sirius waltzed over to where Lily stood and put his arm around her. "Lily… may I call you Lily? Take a turn about the room with me." Lily looked scornfully at the hand on her shoulder and then at her friends snickering. "Okay… so here's my thoughts… you know my best friend James Potter right?"

"I'm familiar with him yes."

"Great… well I'm sure you also know, in that case, that he has what we like to call a "major jones" for you."

"I'm not following you." Lily snarled.

"Let's see… Lily terminology… he's obsessed with you. He's absolutely infatuated with you… madly in love… you know… freaky style puppy love or what have you…"

"Black that's ridiculous! Potter doesn't love me." Lily said as she removed Sirius' arm from around her shoulder. She looked back at her friends sitting around the fire pit and they immediately brewed a bogus conversation to appear inconspicuous. "He doesn't!"

"Yes he does, and you love him too Lily-Billy." Sirius said with a huge smile. Before she could retaliate he turned to face her. He grabbed her cheeks in his hands and forced her to make eye-contact with him. "Lily… repeat after me."

"No."

Ignoring her, he continued with a very large smile. "I, Lily Evans, have been madly in love with James Potter since the day I came to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

"I'm not repeating anything you say, Black. It's a lost cause. James doesn't love me."

"Yes I do." The entire room gasped and Lily stopped breathing. She was afraid to turn around for fear of that she might be right in thinking that James Potter was actually standing behind her. "I do love you Lily."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

Putting his arms around Hermione and Remus and pulling them both uncomfortably close to him, Sirius sat in between his friends. "Well that was surprisingly awkward. Who'd have thought James actually had the balls to go and do something like that? Honestly…" Remus and Hermione both looked at Sirius in disbelief. "What?"

Remus removed his friends arm from around his neck and positioned himself on the sofa so he could face him. "Sirius, let me see if I'm following you. You're actually questioning James' actions… as in you don't believe what he just did? Am I getting this right?"

"Well I mean… it just seems a bit silly."

"Sirius… aren't you the one who told me you knew they were in love? Weren't you the one who just tried to convince Lily?"

"Well, yeah… but I didn't actually think I was right!"

Remus sat back on the couch, "Well he has got a point there… Sirius is very rarely right."

"Exactly!" Sirius threw his hands in the air to emphasize Remus' point, but failed to realize what was actually being said. It wasn't until after his friends burst into laughter that he understood the insult was against him. "You know what? I don't appreciate this! I was the one who made this all happen! I should get all the credit!" Ginny let out a scoff when she recalled him saying he wanted the credit.

"You don't even know what they're talking about right now, Sirius! For all you know she could be hexing his brains out."

Remus laughed at Ginny, "We all know that's more likely than anything else happening."

"No. You guys are wrong. This is the time. He told her he Elled her."

"I'm sorry, what did he tell her?"

He got closer to Ginny and whispered, "You know… that he Elled her… The "L" word…"

The group burst into laughter. "He won't say that word in public." Remus said, clearing up the situation for the girls.

"I have a reputation to at least try and uphold! Can you imagine what would happen if someone heard that I was actually capable of saying that word?"

"Jesus, Sirius, they might actually think you're a decent person." Remus interjected.

"I know. We can't let shit like that happen." Once again the group just looked at Sirius in disbelief and laughed at his stupidity. "You know what? I don't need this. I'm going to find James and Lily-Billy."

"No!" The group shouted.

"Well why the bloody hell not?" Sirius said as he fought his way out of the grasp of Remus and Hermione.

Remus eventually pulled him back into his seat. "Padfoot, if you go and find them now, it's only going to break up what could potentially be the best thing in the history of Hogwarts."

"Remus we win the house cup and the Quidditch cup like every year… what's wrong with you? The Slytherins haven't touched it in years. Calm down." He tried to stand up again, but Hermione caught him that time. "Woah, calm down missy. We barely know each other."

"First off, it's been weeks. We share all the same classes and you're always with me."

"Wow… well when you put it like that… isn't it about time we had a go together?"

"**Secondly," **Hermione stated ignoring his devilish smirk, "what I believe Remus was trying to get through your thick skull is that Lily and James are trying to work something out and if you go and interrupt them it could very well ruin it."

"Party pooper." Sirius sulked. It was quite obvious he was hoping for a different response to his invitation to Hermione.

"Oh what the heck," Hermione began again, "Third of all, I doubt you will ever find me in the presence of your bed, so you can stop asking now."

"Who said anything about my bed? We can go right here if you want? Your friends can stay if they want."

"Friends? What friends, Sirius? We're your friends too, and that's disgusting!" Remus laughed as he smacked Sirius over the back of the head.

"I'm really starting to hate the fact that you guys think it's okay to just wail me over the head every time you think I'm being ridiculous."

Hermione stood up and looked down at Sirius, "Here's a thought then… don't be ridiculous."

Sirius threw himself back into the chair and crossed his arms over his chest. "Humph."

***

"Do you want a cup of tea or something? Butterbeer? I could call for the elves to bring something up." Lily said as she barged her way into her and James' common room. James softly closed the door behind him and followed Lily into the living area of their quarters with a huge smile on his face. He had imagined this conversation happening for years, though he never actually saw it coming true.

"I'm okay, thanks." He laughed.

"Oh. Okay." Lily said as she started cleaning up the room. "God this place is a mess. We really should keep it nicer James… I mean it's a privilege to live here and Dumbledore—"

"Lily! Calm down!" James said walking up behind her and grabbing her arms. "It's ok. The room is fine. We can clean up later." He brought her arms down to her side and slowly let go."

She looked him in the eye and found his smirk lingering in his pupils. "This isn't funny, James, this is serious!"

"I know it is. Do you think I was joking when I said I love you?"

She turned around to continue organizing the sofa, "No! I mean I love you too, it's just that I didn't think it would happen this way, I mean—"

"What?" James asked in almost a whisper. She wisped around and repeated his question as though she just realized what she had said and was trying to cover it up with confusion. "Did you just say—"

"No." She cut him off.

"Yes. You just said—"

"No I didn't!"

"Yes you did! You said you loved me!" James had the widest smile painted upon his face. He was genuinely happy, even though Lily was trying to deny her word.

"Ok fine…" She scrunched her face up as if she had just tasted a vomit flavor Bertie Botts Every Flavored Bean. "I said it."

James let out a shriek of joy that reverberated off the walls and sounded as though it could echo throughout the entire school. "I knew it! I knew you'd cave!"

"Oh so that's what this is about?" The joy was immediately gone. "It's just another one of your games. I see. Well you know what James Potter? You can forget it! I'm done with these stupid school boy pranks! I'm done with you telling me you love me and asking me out! From now on I'm just going to ignore you. The only time you'll hear from me is in during meetings with the prefects. Other than that… goodbye!" She stormed her way up the stairs towards her room and completely ignored James' broken hearted cries for her to come back.

James cringed at the sound of her door slamming and he threw himself on the sofa she had been organizing. '_This close. You were this close. You heard her… she loves you, and you blew it.'_ He rubbed his eyes as if exhausted, let out a loud sigh and whispered to himself, "This close." It was then that he realized, he had done nothing wrong. Lily had simply misunderstood him. He quickly stood up and jumped over the couch. Nearly tripping over his excitement he sprinted up the steps and almost knocked Lily's door down.

"Lily! Let me in!"

"Go away!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"NO!"

"YES!"

"NO! LET ME IN!"

"Potter I swear if you don't leave me alone I will curse you into next year!" He could tell she was crying and as heartbroken as he was that he had caused her distress, he was happier to know he could cure it.

"Fine! Come curse me! But I'm not leaving until you open this door so I can clear up what **you** just misunderstood!"

"I'm not an idiot Potter!"

"I never said you were! Now get out here!"

"No!"

"Fine! Then stay in there. I can talk from out here!" When she didn't answer he took it as his chance. "Lily… I didn't mean what I said to sound like a prank. I meant what I said. I always knew you felt the same way I did. I always knew we were meant to be together, and it took seven years, but I'm perfectly okay with that, because I know we'll have seventy more to come. I'm sorry I've been such a god awful prat to you in the past. I don't have any excuse for it and I'm not looking to be forgiven. What I am trying to say is that I want you. I don't want anybody else. Just you. I always have, and I always will. I want you for the rest of my days. You!" He felt a tear roll down his cheek. "You were meant for me and I know I may not deserve it and you definitely don't deserve the way I've treated you in the past, but I know I was meant for you; you and me, that's how it should be! And you just said it too! You said you love me and I've never felt happier in my entire life! So will you, for the love of Merlin, **please **open this door!" He waited a few seconds in silence. He knew exactly what was happening. She was thinking things over. She always had done in the past. It was something he loved about her, something he had always noticed. She would close her eyes and if he looked closely he could see her eyeballs moving around beneath her eyelids as though she were glancing over a checklist of some sorts… she was always double checking her bases to make sure she was in check with herself… he knew she was doing it right now.

"I'll give you some time, my love." He began walking across the landing towards his bedroom, but before he made it halfway he heard the click of Lily's door opening. When he turned around he saw the girl he loved with a tear ridden face trying to produce a smile. He stood where he was and shrugged. "Lily… I love you. What else can I say?"

She slowly walked towards him and stopped about a foot away from him. "Can we start with like? I don't think I'm ready for the "L" word." She looked down afraid that this answer wouldn't be enough, but almost immediately felt James pull her towards him and crash his lips on hers.

His lips meshed perfectly with hers and she melted in his arms. He broke away from her for a mere second to express, "Lily Evans, I've been in like with you since the day I laid eyes on you. We can start with whatever you want." His lips fell upon hers one more time and Lily couldn't help but smile into the way she kissed the boy she'd secretly loved for seven years.

**I know it's short, but I had to get this chapter to where it was before I could continue. I hope you like… Please review**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot. **


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

"I just don't see what's taking them so long. I mean Prongs already said his bit. How long does it take for her to respond. I mean she either does or she doesn't. You don't usually hang around to explain." Sirius complained as moved his bishop piece on the muggle chess board that Remus had collected in the past. "And Remus, I honestly don't understand why we don't play normal wizard's chess… this is utterly boring!"

"Remus, may I?" Hermione asked before her new friend could begin reprimanding his friend.

"Why, of course." Remus said smiling.

"Sirius… Pad… uh… yeah no… Sirius, listen to me." Sirius mockingly snorted at Hermione's attempt to use his mate's nickname for him, but Hermione, yet again, ignored his remark and continued before he could say anything else. "First of all… yes you do hang around to explain. If you turn someone down you usually give them a reason. The phrase "fuck off" doesn't actually work like I know you think it does."

"How would you know? Have you tried it?" Sirius sniped like a four year old.

"No, but I'm about to if you don't shut up." Sirius just stuck his tongue out. " Secondly, Wizard's chess is an abomination."

"Blasphemy! Get out of this common room!"

"It's just an excuse to express yourself in a violent way and your lot just covers it up with the term 'fun' so they can get away with it."

"Do you hear what this muggle is saying about 'our lot?'" Sirius jumped off the couch and screamed at Remus.

"Oh, I'm hearing her loud and clear, mate."

"And you're just going to sit and take it?"

"Sirius what have I told you is my reason for playing muggle chess?"

"I don't know! Do you really think I listen to **everything** you say? Honestly Remus, it's like you don't know me at all these days!"

"First of all… don't say things like that… you sound worse than Lily on a bad day. And secondly, as your best friend I sort of do expect you to listen to me… I thought that just came with the whole being friends deal."

"I'm convinced you're all out to get me… you know that right?" Sirius said throwing himself onto the sofa and crossing his arms in anger.

"Since first year, mate… since first year." Remus sighed with a chuckle. "It's your move."

"WHAT IS TAKING THEM SO LONG?" Sirius whined as he looked over at the lion's head.

"Sirius… shut up and play."

"But I want to know! I want to know if I'm going to be an uncle!"

"They're in love, Sirius, not pregnant." Hermione laughed.

"Rubbish… they've been boffing in the library."

"What are you talking about Padfoot?"

Sirius let a sharp bark of laughter. "Wouldn't that be rich! Guys I bet you they've been going behind our backs for years! That's why they act like an old married couple… because they probably are. Isn't there some rule that after like a year of dating you automatically become married or something?"  
"Sirius you've gone absolutely mental." Ginny laughed hysterically.

"Mate is that why you haven't held a girlfriend for longer than six months?"

"Well yeah! I don't want that marriage crap! Who the hell do you think I am? James?"

"No Sirius, we wouldn't grant you that honor." Ginny giggled.

"Precisely."

Remus jokingly threw a chess piece at his friend and laughed. "You do know that you don't automatically get married after a year of dating, don't you? Please don't make me worry about you."

Sirius looked around at his friends who were sitting around the fire pit and found that they were all seriously mocking him. He chose the 'I was just kidding' path. "Of course! I'm not stupid you know!"

"Are you sure?" Ginny asked laughing.

"Yes! You guys are the worst!"

***

James and Lily broke apart for the first time in five minutes and James looked at the beautiful woman who was standing below him. When she returned his smile, he placed his lips on her forehead and pushed pressure because the feeling of kissing the girl he loved was addicting. He felt her sigh of relief escape her body and he knew that everything would be okay.

She pulled away to look back up at James and his smile was too much… she couldn't help but laugh. "Oh god."

"What's wrong Lily-Billy?" He asked, still smiling.

"Oh nothing! Nothing!" She was terrified an episode like beforehand would fall out again. "It's nothing! I'm just… it's sort of unreal isn't it?"

"This?"

"Well yeah… I mean… think about it."

"Well to be honest, Lily… I'm not so sure what this is." He smirked as he watched her facial expression change rapidly. He could tell the clocks inside her head were continuously turning, but that as of right then they had picked up the pace.

"What do you mean?"

James let out a burst of laughter, pulled Lily into his arms. "Oh Lily-Billy."

"You know I hate that name right?"

"Undoubtedly so… but you're going to be my Lily-Billy and I don't care who knows it."

"I am?" She looked up at him.

When he caught her eye he saw that they had left the comedy behind, along with the name Lily-Billy. "Lily will you be my girlfriend?"

She smiled incredibly wide. "You know I think I have every right to tell you to sod off right now."

"But you love me." He smiled.

"Minor detail." She said as she pecked him lightly on the lips.

"Is that a yes?"

"Eh… I guess so." She said as she reached her arms around his neck and pulled him down to her level. She clashed her lips on his passionately with a gentility behind it that let James know that she would rather live alone for the rest of her life than be with anyone else but him. Just as he thought their lips would never leave each others, she pushed away from him abruptly.

"What's wrong?"

"What are we going to tell everybody?"

"What do you mean? How about the truth?"

"But what if we lose our positions? These quarters?"  
"Well that would certainly be a shame…" He raised his eyebrows seductively.

"James! I'm serious!"

He burst out laughing and took his hand in hers. "Lily… don't worry. I'm quite good friends with Dumbledore. I'll sort things out with him. Don't you worry."

She smiled. "Okay but what about our friends?"

"I stand by my first answer, sweetie."  
Her smile continuously grew bigger. "I like that name better. But can't we play with their heads a bit?"

"Well, well, well, look who's stepping into the role of my girlfriend nicely."

Lily laughed. "Seriously!"

"Oh I'm serious! I never take a good prank lightly. You're wish is my command m'lady."

***

"It's been almost an hour!" Sirius whined. "I want James to come back! Remus when is Prongs coming back!"

"I don't know Padfoot… give them their time. They'll be back soon." He turned to Hermione who was now sitting next to him, and whispered, "I feel like his bloody mother, sometimes."

"I heard that!"

"Good." Remus laughed and clapped his hand on Sirius' shoulder. Seconds later they heard the frame of the fat lady squeak open.

"James!" Sirius jumped up. It was James, but he was by himself, and he looked terrible. "Am I going to be an uncle?" Remus realized something was wrong and he hit Sirius in the gut telling him to shut up. "OW! What's wrong?"

"She doesn't love me. It's over. I'm done."

"What? But you love each other! Lily-Billy was meant for you!"

"I thought so too, mate, but don't worry… I'm fine." James sat on the sofa and let out an elongated sigh."What are you guys doing?"

Remus, understanding that he no longer wanted to talk about what just happened, obliged to answer him. "I'm trying to get Sirius to tolerate muggle chess."

"That sounds like the most pointless effort in all of Hogwarts."

"My thoughts exactly mate." Sirius laughed.

Just as James was about to suggest getting out the wizards chess they heard the fat lady's frame squeak open again. James knew exactly who it was and it took all his effort not to smile when Lily appeared.

"Hey guys… Oh…" She made eye contact with James and forced a frown. "I'll just go." She made a very quick attempt to leave.

"HOLD IT LILY-BILLY!" Sirius said as he jumped to his feet. "We will solve this right here and now! You will love James!"

"That's not how it works mate." James said trying to get his friend to stop.

"No. It is how it works! You two love each other and I don't care who knows it. I've been trying so hard to tell you that she loves you and I know I've done a botch-up job getting her to realize it, but I know she knows. How the hell am I supposed to take credit for your kids if you aren't together? I will not be an illegitimate uncle!" He pounded his foot into the ground, and Lily couldn't help but snicker.

"Sirius… never mind." She couldn't help it. It was just too funny.

"No! This is ridiculous! Why don't you love him?"

"I… uh… well I hadn't really thought about it…"

"What? You're telling me you don't love him and you don't even know why! Go to your room, now and don't come out until you have a proper reason! I'm serious young lady! March!"

"But Sirius!"

"I. Said. March." He pointed towards the lion's head and stuck his nose up in the air refusing to accept anything but her acknowledgment of the rules.

Lily looked towards James and quickly smiled before returning to the frown that occupied her face. James knew he had to say something. He couldn't very well have Lily excommunicated from the group for the rest of time. Sirius didn't mess around with this sort of stuff. It wasn't often that he turned into an irrational person… granted he was still semi-retarded, but when he said the word "serious" and didn't make puns, something was definitely wrong. "Lily wait!" James shouted.

"What do you want?" She said turning around.

"Please. I didn't mean what I said."

"James there isn't much room for double entendre when you let it slip that you said the exact same thing to another girl a week ago!"

"YOU DID WHAT?" Sirius yelled.

"NO! Will you let me talk please! That's what I said, but I didn't mean to!"

"Fuck off James." Lily continued walking to the door.

"I said I love you!"

"Yeah he loves you!" Sirius repeated.

"Shut up Sirius! I don't care!" Lily screamed.

"I love you! What I meant to say is that I don't run around telling girls I love them on a daily basis! I want you!"

"He wants you!" Sirius repeated again.

"SIRIUS!" The entire room bellowed.

"What?" He cowered like a puppy. "I'm just trying to help."

"DON'T!"

James moved towards Lily, "Lily… I mean it. I love you."

Sirius whispered, "Yeah… he loves you Lily-Billy."

Lily looked past James at Sirius and smiled. "Thanks Sirius. I've got it from here." She walked up to James, "You're sure?"

"Positive."

"Because if two days down the line I so much as catch you looking at another girl, I will curse you so far into your life you'll be so incapable of an erection that it'll hurt."

Sirius let the room know that he was utterly disgusted by her threat, as did James and Remus however, in a more toned down expression. Ginny and Hermione just giggled.

"Lily, I swear. I love you."

"All right then." She shrugged and threw herself onto the sofa. "Oh wow! Muggle chess! My dad and I play all the time! Who wants a go?"

Everyone just looked at her in disbelief, and Sirius pushed Remus to the side of the sofa so he could squeeze himself in. "Are you kidding me?"

"What?"

"You just threw that insane fit and now you're just a-okay with everything… acting like it's been normal for years? Please tell me you're joking before I lose all hope in women entirely!"

"Oh Sirius… don't worry… you got what you wanted didn't you?"

"Well yes…but… aren't you happy?"

"I guess."

"You guess?" James and Sirius repeated together.

"Yeah sure. I knew it would happen eventually."

"You did?"

"Sure… everyone did."

"Well yes… **we** knew that… but we weren't aware that **you** did." Remus responded.

"Oh shut up. Of course I knew. I know everything that goes on around here."

"Lily, you're making dating James sound like a homework assignment." Hermione added.

"She would know too… she's done enough of them." Ginny laughed.

"What? Rubbish! It's just not that exciting…"

"How can you say that?" Remus asked in disbelief.

"Well how can it be exciting when I'm thinking about something else entirely?"

"What?" Remus asked. "Lily what's gotten into you?"

"I don't know… I just can't stop thinking about how nice it feels to finally get revenge with this prank I've just played on you." She sat there smiling at James and the room fell silent. Sirius nearly fell down with shock.

"That's my girl." James said proudly.

**Please review!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot. **


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